That's Not A Sport
by Iffy Jr
Summary: Tony/Loki high school AU. "That's it, Lo! We'll make it a game! It's the sport of trust!" "That's not a sport, Tony." There are always people to save and fix, and Tony and Loki know that. The fact that they happened to be some of the most broken and in need of saving, though, is not necessarily their fault. COMPLETE.
1. Under the Bleachers

Author's notes: Aaaalright, so you all know how I love's me my AU's, so I bet you'll never guess what kind of story this is! That's right, high school AU. Wow so surprising. Anyway, they're all seniors in high school, and I know Tony is supposed to be super smart, but I'm not going to bump him up any grades or anything.

Anyway! This story is 59 pages and just under 31,000 words. I'm not really into very many sports, but for some reason I wanted every character I talk about to be "defined" as what sport they're doing each season. Sports in general aren't going to be hugely important to the fic, but they are going to be talked about/mentioned a lot.

This is a Tony/Loki story, and it's not so much a slow build-up relationship as it is a slow build-up of trust _within_ the relationship. They end up "together" (I won't explain exactly what I mean by that) in the first chapter, and then even more together in the second, aaand that will make more sense as you read along. There's lots of other pairings shoved in here, but the only one that comes close to being important enough is Clint/Natasha. Even then, though, those and the others, if you don't like them, I wouldn't worry too much about them, because they don't make up what's really important to the story.

Also. Loki is still adopted and all, but he won't know about it until later. So he's just Loki before he knows, but then some shit goes down when he finds out. Oh and for any of you who have read Checkmate (another of my FrostIron high school AU's, for those of you who haven't), Loki is, ah…very different in these stories. Haha. It's honestly a completely different plotline to that story. Let me tell you, it is hard to write another great high school FrostIron AU when you've already done one that a bunch of your readers thinks is perfect XD

Anyway here's a list of "important" sports that are mentioned and who's on the teams because hey why not (only of people we care about, though)  
**FALL  
**Football: Bucky Barnes, Fandral, Hogun, Ivan Vanko, James Rhodes, Skurge, Steve Rogers, Thor Odinson, Volstagg  
**WINTER  
**1. Archery: Clint Barton  
2. Gymnastics: Loki Odinson; Natasha Romanoff  
**SPRING  
**1. Soccer: Justin Hammer  
2. Track and Field: Loki; Steve; Thor  
3. Chess (it's not a sport just go with it okay): Tony Stark; Bruce Banner; Victor von Doom  
**YEAR-ROUND  
**1. Cheerleading: Amora, Darcy Lewis, Jane Foster, Natasha Romanoff, Peggy Carter, Pepper Potts, Sif

Also for reasons I have made Fury as Amora's uncle.

Oh and when I say dates just picture 2012 if you're the type to go and check a calendar for my accuracy XD

PS (this is getting out of hand sorry) Tony and Loki totally go at it all the time (I do mean sexually and not arguments), so if you're looking for porn with plot, then you have come to the right place XD There's more of it towards the beginning, though.

PPS (you can kill me in a minute) I totally didn't edit through this because I just ugh didn't want to so if there are any extreme spelling/grammar mistakes or just really confusing spots totally tell me so I can fix it :) Thanks.

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**Disclaimer**: None of the characters in this story are mine.

**S****ummary**: Tony/Loki high school AU. "That's it, Lo'! We'll make it a game! It's the sport of trust!" "That's not a sport, Tony." There are always people to save and fix, and Tony and Loki know that. The fact that they happened to be some of the most broken and in need of saving, though, is not necessarily their fault." COMPLETE. Hellooo shitty summary. Read the inner notes for a better understanding!

**Pairings**: (Main) Tony/Loki; (Others) Clint/Natasha, Thor/Jane, Steve/Peggy, Darcy/Fandral, Bucky/Sharon, Amora/Skurge, platonic Sif/Volstagg/Hogun  
**Regular warnings/Not-warnings**: m/m and m/f pairings; strong language; drugs; drinking; smut (blowjobs, rimming, anal, etc.); blah yada blah high school shit man I could go on forever with this

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[Chapter summary: In which Tony and Loki bond over the fact that they both hate football.]

**1: Under the Bleachers**

"_Did someone break your heart inside?  
You're in ruins..."_  
—21 Guns by Greenday—

_Wednesday, October 2…_

"But Bruuuce…" Tony whines as he's dragged down the bleachers by his best friend to the almost front row. "I don't _like_ football!"

"Neither do I, Tone, you're well aware of that," Bruce says, pushing him down into a sitting position. "But Steve is our friend too, and we need to be here for at _least_ his first game so he doesn't have a conniption."

Tony grumbles unintelligibly to himself as Bruce sits down beside him. "Well, where's Pepper?" he asks eventually.

"She's a cheerleader, Tony, you know that."

Barely as the words are even out of his mouth, there's a very familiar conversation popping up behind them…

"But Cliiint…" a fellow senior with shoulder length black hair whines as he's dragged to a length of bench a few rows back. "I _hate_ football."

"It's not my sport either, Lo', you know that," the other senior with dark sunglasses replies, shoving him onto a bench. "But Thor is your brother, and we need to be here for his games so that he doesn't have a shit attack."

The black haired one (Tony's pretty sure his name is Loki Odinson; he's got a couple classes with him) grumbles to himself about missing a television show before leaning on the guy beside him (Clint Barton?). "But where's your girlfriend?"

"Not only are you well aware she's not my girlfriend," Clint answers, "but you know that 'Tasha is the head cheerleader."

"Yeah, I knew that, I just like to tease you…" He trails off, catching eyes with Tony, who is _blatantly_ staring. "_What_?" he snaps.

Tony grins. "You and I are definitely hanging out later."

Before Loki can answer, Bruce elbows him. "Tony, you can't just say that to complete strangers!"

"Rude? Bruce, they go to school with us, they're not strangers. Keep your shirt on." He turns back to Loki. "No, Bruce and I just had the _exact_ same conversation as you two—except we're here for number four out there"—he points at Steve out on the field (they're already playing, because Tony and Bruce were late since Tony didn't want to come)—"and a different cheerleader. Steve's also not my brother, but he might as well be. So I'm saying our two friends can get together and you can I can say we're going to get snacks before running off to do anything but _this_."

Loki smirks, but Clint puts a hand over his mouth before he can say anything. "No, we've got to stay. We already promised our cheerleader we wouldn't ditch out."

"So did we," Bruce mutters, glaring at Tony.

Tony ignores him. "Well, hey, at least come and sit with us."

Loki bats Clint's hand off before hopping up and sitting down beside Tony, Clint going slower to sit beside Bruce. Those two instantly start talking about how Tony and Loki just don't get it, but said misunderstanders jump directly into a conversation about a possibility of ruining a game play by switching the ball out with one of their shoes.

"Steve would kill me," Tony says, "but it'd be _so_ worth it."

"Thor would assume it normal and keep going," Loki says, rolling his eyes. "He's such an idiot."

"Number six?"

"Right."

"Aside from the ponytail sticking out he actually looks a lot like Steve from here. Then we've got a cheerleader, a guy who respects his friends the proper amount, and us. Wow, this is great; we're all friends from an alternate universe or something. We are definitely hanging out more."

After the game is over, Tony's group is introduced with Loki's, which is great, because Natasha is definitely one of the most attractive girls in their senior year, but Tony's never had a reason to talk to her. He may be a total flirt, but even from a distance she's not the type of person that wants to be approached like that, and he didn't want to blow it. She, ah…doesn't laugh very often, but at least her A-grade sarcasm makes up for most of that. She can speak it great, but even if anybody else uses it she doesn't crack a smile. She only gave much of an emotion to Loki, Clint, and Thor, and Clint is the only one she all-out smiled at—which did not sit well with Tony, really. Are they dating? No way, he would have heard about it. _Every_ guy wants to Natasha. The male student body would be in an uproar if she wasn't single. Pepper is only like her because they're both girls, but other than that, Pepper has a great sense of humor and shows emotion around anyone—unless she's angry, in which her glare could turn someone to stone.

Thor is…weird. Tony's never really paid attention to him before, and now he knows why. The guy is _big_, and he talks like he's from the fifteenth century or something. Tony does know that he's dating Jane Foster, though, because Jane is with him and Bruce in chemistry and she and Darcy Lewis are always competing to make the best project whenever they have one. They get on each others nerves a lot, but at least they get along well enough not to create a poison and "accidentally" spill it on them. Steve isn't much like Thor at all—they don't really even look like each other. Tony's blonde may be stuck in the fifteenth century when it comes to technology, but that's about as close as they get. He's only shy when it comes to dating, though. He has a huge crush on one of the other cheerleaders, Peggy Carter, but refuse to admits it, which is not going to get him _anywhere_,

Clint is not near as Bruce-like as Tony first figured he was, but instead an outgoing, crazy, loud kid who likes to sit on Thor's shoulders and make sex jokes. Bruce, on the other hand, is a shy, introverted quiet guy who sits in Tony's homemade "lab" or in front of a chess board, and that's pretty much it.

And Loki…well, Loki and Tony are easily the most similar, but still completely different. While Loki and Clint as a group are more into pranks and magic (Loki even shows Tony a few card tricks out on the field), and Tony and Bruce as a group are more into chess and science, Tony and Loki are easily the most rude and stubborn. Tony boxes with Steve for his workouts sometimes, but Loki's workouts consist of hanging out with the seven cheerleaders to work on gymnastics techniques or doing yoga.

So much of the alternate universe theory.

**XxX**

_Friday, October 4…_

"You have _another_ home game?" Tony asks Steve as he takes a mouthful of his cafeteria pasta. Unlike schools in movies and shows, the food here is actually pretty good.

"Yeah," Steve says around his own mouthful. "The opposing team is in the middle of a renovation, so we can't do it there."

"Do I have to go to _this_ one, too?"

Bruce rolls his eyes.

"No," Steve says, "but I'd appreciate it. You know I do better when I know you're cheering me on."

"I talked about shoes last time."

Pepper flicks a carrot at his forehead. "Don't be rude, Tony. He needs you."

"Fiiine!" Tony groans, sticking his tongue out at all three of them.

"Hey!" a new voice says, and suddenly Clint is sitting down beside Bruce. "Mind if we join you?"

His three other friends show up before Tony's group can say yes, Thor plunking down between Steve and Pepper, Natasha sliding silently in beside Clint, and Loki taking the space beside Tony.

"Comin' to the game again?" Clint asks Bruce.

"Ugh, yes," Tony mutters.

"I have to go to," Loki says, rolling his eyes.

"We can talk about pants this time!"

The magician gives a good natured eye roll. "Now _that_ is a plan worth carrying out," he says sarcastically.

**XxX**

_Friday, October 4…_

Tony is heading out to his car when school is out, but he doesn't get far, because he runs smack into Loki instead.

"Hey," he says with a grin. "I have something that you would _way_ rather do than go home and wait for the game."

Tony cocks an eyebrow, pushing down his sunglasses (it may be cold, but the sun is still out and bright) just enough to look up at him. "You have something better than porn?"

Loki snorts. "Well, I _was_ going to invite you to come hang out with the cheerleaders and I, but if you'd rather do that."

Tony shoves his sunglasses back up. "Lead the way, my friend."

Loki laughs, taking his hand to drag him along. "They're out at the track. Are you flexible?"

Tony gives an uneasy laugh as they walk out of the back door nearest the track. "Yeah, uh, no."

Loki chuckles as they walk into sight range of the track. "That's okay."

Tony's eyes widen at the seven girls are stretching in the grass. "Um…are you sure I should be here? I mean _damn_, but—"

Loki shrugs. "I have no idea. Nataaashaaa!" he calls as they get closer.

Natasha looks at him from upside down, but before he can say anything, a different girl that Tony knows as Darcy Lewis answers instead: "Ooh, Loki, he's CUTE!"

Loki groans. "Just ignore her," he mutters to Tony before they get to the group.

"You have got to be kidding," Pepper says, rolling her eyes. "You're using _Loki_ to watch the girls work out?"

Tony chuckles. "_He_ invited _me_, actually."

She snorts. "Yeah, okay."

"Tony, hi!" another cheerleader says, and Tony instantly recognizes her as Jane. They've got two classes together, and the one that Bruce isn't also in, the two always pair up because they're easily the smartest people in the classes. Tony has the best grades in the senior class, and Jane is somewhere in the top ten. Tony is also pretty sure that she's Thor's girlfriend, but he can ask Loki about that later.

He smiles at her. "Hey! How'd you do on that test?"

She gives a dainty groan. Tony has no idea how she manages to be so quiet and so outgoing at the same time. "I missed the extra credit question."

"Oh my god, Jane," Amora says darkly. "You are such a goody two shoes. Go have sex or something."

Tony, along with everyone else, narrows his eyes. Tony does _not_ like Amora. She's got yellow hair (what kind of a porcelain blonde dyes their hair yellow) and _always_ has something green on (just her shoes right now, since the school cheer uniforms are dark blue and white). She's also the school's drug dealer _and_ addict, which probably isn't good for business. How she gets passed all the tests for being a cheerleader is beyond Tony. She's dating Skurge (another of the football players, who's sort of her drug partner), plus hanging out with Justin Hammer (who, Tony hates to admit, is the best soccer player the school has ever had—except that he's also Tony's least favorite person because he's a narcissistic dick. There can only be one person like that in a grade, and Tony claimed the spot _ages_ ago), Ivan Vanko (another football player; he's Russian and has a hell of a lot of tattoos that remind Tony of the ones from Russian prison gangs), and then Victor von Doom (who, also to Tony's annoyance, is the best hockey goalie that Tony has ever seen).

"Shut up, 'Ora," Natasha snaps. "You are on thin ice and you _know_ it."

Amora rolls her eyes. "I'm not the one who can't crack a fuckin' smile, you know what I'm sayin'?"

Tony cocks an eyebrow. He's never really interacted with Amora or her friends because of the drugs (Tony may be a dick, and he may be a flirt, but he's not into drugs; they lead to no money, bad grades, and a million other things that Tony's not really into), plus the fact that he doesn't have any classes with Amora specifically, so he had no idea that…well…

"Are you trying to be black?" he asks. "Bitch, you are _white_. You dye your hair _yellow_ and you use safety-point needles like you're _cool_. You're not cool, you're an asshole."

She glares at him, but everyone else just giggles in agreement.

"He's got a point, 'Ora," Sif says, giving her a very serious look. "We could change you out for a girl who's _actually_ black if you keep up your shit."

"Can't we just do it now?" Peggy asks. Tony only knows her because her dad is a _very_ well known military man, plus the fact that Steve had the _biggest_ crush on her.

"Let me tell you about the _shit_ that I do," Amora growls, standing up.

"Let's not, yeah?" Natasha says, standing up beside her. "We've got another home game tonight, and we can't spend the entire time arguing about drugs and black girls." She looks over at Amora with a dark glare. "Am I _clear_, Amora?"

Amora blinks steadily back at her. "Yeah, it's clear."

Loki elbows Tony and takes his hand again as the seven girls start their practice, dragging him out of the way so they don't get hit by anyone.

"Natasha likes you," Loki says as they sit down on the half of the track between the football field and the bleachers.

Tony turns to him with wide eyes. "She _what_?"

Loki laughs. "No, I—not like that. She likes Clint like that, sorry. They're not dating, though, but I mean…" He waves his hand around. "She thinks you're cool and wants you to hang out at practices more often."

Tony blinks at him. "She…when did she tell you that?"

"She didn't tell me, she looked at me. You learn to figure out what she's saying by just her looks pretty quickly since that's how she communicates more often."

Tony nods, looking away. "That makes sense. Why does she like me, though? Er, want me around."

"Because nobody likes standing up to Amora. You called her a bitch, which is not something that a lot of people do. She's got four boys that would follow her to the end of the world, two of them very big football players, and her uncle is the principle, so…"

Tony chuckles. "_Fury_ is her _uncle_? Whatever, man. This is a public school, and they're not going to kick me out. I bring the school's academic achievements up a _ton_. Besides, if they're going to kick me out, I'm not going to be afraid to throw around my power. I'm a Stark. They're not going to kick out a Stark."

Loki gives a good natured eye roll. "You know, I have a better idea than talking about someone you don't like." He stands.

Tony frowns, holding his hands out so Loki will help him up, too.

"Where are you taking me?" Tony asks, letting Loki drag him around the side of the bleachers.

"Under the bleachers," he says, stepping through the side spaces of them before motioning for Tony to follow.

Tony frowns, looking back to see if any of the seven cheerleaders are watching (they aren't) before doing so. "Isn't this where the football players take people to make out?"

"That's _exactly_ where this is."

At that, he pushes Tony back against the bars, kissing him softly.

Tony was not at all ready for that, so he accidentally drops himself to the ground.

Loki cocks an eyebrow. "I know for a fact that you're not trying to give me a blowjob."

Tony forces himself not to cringe. "Attractive as you are," Tony says, looking up at him, "guys aren't really my thing."

Loki breathes a laugh, dropping down to kneel in front of him. "Shame, since they're mine."

Tony turns his head to get away from the second kiss. "Loki, dammit, what are you doing?"

"Trying to kiss you, stupid, but you're not letting me."

Tony stares sideways over at him. "I really don't think we should do this, Lo'. We met, like, two days ago, and the entire cheerleading team is just over in the field."

Loki nods, positioning himself into a crisscrossed position. "You're right, we shouldn't, but I really want to do it anyway."

Tony can't stop the kiss this time, and with the way that Loki's hair feels in his hands, he's not sure if he wants it to. Loki may be thin, and he may do yoga, but he is certainly not a woman. Tony likes boobs, but damn, Loki is a better kisser than any other girl he's made out with.

Tony is still backed up against the bars of the bleachers, but Loki pushes him down to the side to lie him on the grass (how it grow so fresh under the bleachers is behind Tony). He heels above him, pushing a knee up and between Tony's legs.

Loki smirks at the sound of Tony's breathy moan. "Whoops," he whispers.

"There was no 'whoops' about it," Tony says around a laugh. "You did it on purpose."

"Mmm, maybe…"

Tony stares at Loki as he moves down, eyes never breaking contact as his hands start to undo the button and zipper of his jeans.

Tony swallows, honestly not sure if he wants Loki to stop or not. "You've done this before, I take it," he chokes out.

Loki shrugs. "A few times."

Tony doesn't even try to hold back his moan as Loki reaches without hesitation to pull out his cock, rubbing it a few times with his hand.

"I, uh…" Tony tries to say. "I don't know if you should—"

"Too late!" Loki bends down and takes Tony slowly, his tongue coating Tony with saliva strategically. Tony does try to hold back these louder moans at first, but after a while he just drops his head back and gives up, tangling his fingers into Loki's hair. Loki works him with his mouth until the end, and Tony is actually surprised that he swallows when he's done.

"Most girls spit it out," he breathes, still trying to slow to his normal rate.

Loki smirks. "If you couldn't tell, I'm not most girls. Have they ever kissed you after they've finished?"

"I, uh… No. They drink a lot of water first."

Loki crawls up and kisses Tony softly, and—

"Ew," Tony says, pushing him away.

Loki laughs, pulling Tony into a sitting position.

"Shame," he says. "I like kissing you."

Tony breathes a laugh, dropping his eyes so Loki doesn't see his blush. He's gotten lines like that from a lot of girls, but Loki says it so much differently.

He realizes a moment later, though, that he's looking right at Loki's lap, and good _lord_ that boner looks painful in his jeans.

"Don't say it," Loki says, lifting Tony's face up by his chin.

Tony sort of does anyway: "But you _do_ want me to, right?"

"Of course I do, but that doesn't mean I'm going to let you. This is the first time you've even kissed a guy, and I don't want you to feel pressured to—"

"What if I just want to _try_? It can't be that hard since I have a dick, so I know what feels good. Worst case I'm bad at it and you can jack off while we make out." He wrinkles his nose up. "Actually, I had to do that with a girl once and it was awful. But hey, some tongue is better than none!"

Loki blinks at him before letting go of his chin. "You're sure?" he asks, not even a little bit convinced.

Tony grins. "I am totally sure."

Loki shrugs. "Well okay, if you really want to suck me off, I'm not going to stop you."

Tony snorts. "You're a true man, Lo'."

Loki rolls his eyes as he leans back to sit on the grass. "It's actually really nice down here," he says as he's undoing his jeans.

Tony nods, looking around. "Yeah, the grass is pretty nice. I wonder if any of the football kids are in horticulture and come back here with grass seed and a watering can."

"Maybe. Are you _sure_ you're sure?"

Tony looks back at him. "I think I can give a blowjob if I've rimmed before, Lo'."

Loki smirks. "I'm all yours, then."

Tony takes a deep breath as he looks down. Loki is sitting with legs spread and hands back to lean on them, but damn, maybe this _is_ a bad idea. Tony is pretty wide, but Loki is longer. Tony has a pretty big mouth (which he knows thanks to how much food he can stuff in), but he's never had to gage his _throat_ size.

"Wow," he says. "I feel really bad for people who don't like giving these."

He bends down before Loki can comment, licking his lips so his mouth will slide better. Honestly, it's not that bad. It smells different than Tony is used to, but there's really not a huge taste to it. He makes sure he doesn't scrape his teeth any, and he's watched/felt enough people do it to him that he knows just bobbing up and down gets boring. So, he hallows his cheeks, actually sucks in when he pulls away, and hopes for the best.

The way that Loki moans and pushes one set of fingers into his hair is, ah…really hot. Is this what it's like to be gay? It's not so bad, actually. His throat is bigger than he thought, too.

Loki's hand eventually tightens in his hair, and a ragged moan washes out. "Tone, I—I'm—"

Tony has given that plenty of times to know exactly what it means, and instead of sucking the spunk down and probably drooling everywhere, Tony pulls away and pumps him onto the grass with his hand. He's never _watched_ someone have an orgasm before… The way that Loki is still gripping onto the back of his head, and has dropped his own head back as he moans…

Tony instantly falls in love with his neck. He can't help it.

When Loki is spent, he pulls his head back up, breathing heavy. "That was, ah…" He swallows. "Good. Really good."

Tony laughs and pulls him into a kiss, loving the way that Loki's hand is still against the back of his head.

"Mmm, just a minute," Loki says, pulling away to put himself back in his pants. "Don't kneel in that."

Tony rolls to the side. "Wanna, uh…go get something to eat?"

Loki nods fervently. "Whatever. I'm not picky."

"Food-food or a coffee shop?"

"Coffee shop. Thor's going to wonder where I am."

Tony frowns as they stand. "What is he, your guard dog?"

"I prefer guard idiot, but yes."

Tony purses his lips, following Loki out from under the bleachers. All the cheerleaders are gone, so he knows that he and Loki were not down there for a _short_ amount of time. "Why do you hang out with him if you hate him so much?"

Loki sighs, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Other than the fact that I _do_ like Natasha and Clint, I don't have much of a choice. I tried ditching those two once so I could ditch my brother in the process, but he just came right after me. He wants to protect me all the time. I don't know how to get him off my back."

Tony smiles and elbows him lightly. "Just stick with me."

Loki gives him a quizzical look. "The more we're around each other, the farther we're going to go. You _really_ want to have sex by the end of the fall season?"

Tony purses his lips. "Uh…does it feel good? 'Cause I was straight an hour ago, but that was kinda fun, so…" He shrugs.

Loki laughs. "I wouldn't know, actually. Thor is around too much for it to happen."

Tony cocks an eyebrow. "You did say you've done that before though, right?"

Loki gives a sly smirk. "My friends and I are very close."

Tony blinks at him. "Okay, wait, _what_ is your sexual orientation?"

"I am as gay as the rainbow mat I do yoga on, but if Natasha puts her hair up and I close my eyes, its fine. Clint's better at them, though."

Tony wrinkles his nose up. "What's _his_ sexual orientation?"

"Oh, he's straight, but everyone any of the three of us make a bet we go with something sexual. It's more fun that way."

"You've eaten Natasha out, then?"

The magician grimaces. "As thrilled as the look on your face is, it's not really what I like."

Tony shrugs. "To each their own. Are you a sub or a dom?"

Loki sighs. "I have no idea. It depends who I'm with, you know? You and I, for example, I think I would rather sub. You're more independent than I am."

Tony cocks an eyebrow. "How'd you figure that?"

Loki shrugs. "I didn't. Natasha did. She and Clint see things that nobody else does, you know?"

"Not really."

Loki chuckles. "It doesn't matter. Do you want to walk to the nearest Starbucks, then?"

Tony cocks an eyebrow. "Maybe _you_ don't have a car, but I happen to be a Stark, and my dad spoils me so I leave him alone."

Loki lets out a choked sort of laugh. "That's funny," he says, pushing his hand through his hair. "My dad doesn't like me either."

Tony frowns, stopping because they've gotten to his Audi R8. "What do you mean?" he asks, leaning against the car.

Loki sighs, leaning beside him. "He only talks to me if it involves food and grades. If they slip below Bruce's I'm in trouble, and if I don't eat my vegetables I'm in trouble, and if I don't eat enough fucking _protein_ I'm in trouble, and if—"

"Breathe, Lo'," Tony says, elbowing him lightly.

Loki takes a deep breath, reaching up and dragging most of his hands down his face. "I fucking hate my family, Tony. My brother is clingy, my mother is too nice, and my father thinks he's god. It wouldn't be horrible having a mother that's too nice except that she does everything that my father and brother want her to do, so she's always miserable because she never has anything around for herself." He sighs, and even though they're in the middle of the high school senior parking lot, Tony doesn't care that Loki leans his head down against his shoulder. "I can't wait till I'm eighteen. I have a nightshift job, which is just _brilliant_ because I never sleep _ever_…" (Tony would normally smile at the high level of sarcasm, but now is certainly not the time.) He laughs, leaning up from Tony's shoulder. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be telling you this."

Tony swallows, reaching over to tug at Loki's sleeve. "I don't have any siblings, but my mom is clinically depressed. She and my dad only got married so they could pool together their fortunes, you know? I mean, I think they loved each other at one point, but after a while she realized how much of a bastard he is, and he figured that work was more important than love anyway. I get it, Lo'."

Loki looks down at him, eyes sad. "That's why you're more independent than I am, Tone. You know how to pretend things don't happen. I just…" He waves a hand through the air. "Dramatize them. I make people feel bad for me over something that they had no part in. Right now, you know? I've made you sad."

Tony manages a smile. "Maybe a little, but at least we just got blowjobs."

Loki actually laughs, looking up at the sky. "You know, maybe that alternate universe theory still stands."

Tony grins. "Know what else?"

Loki looks down at him with a smile. "What?"

"I'm pretty sure we are totally going to have sex by the end of the fall season."

Loki gives a good natured eye roll. "If you want."

"Yeah, yeah, it's all about me, I get it. You wanna get some food or not?"

Loki nods. "Definitely."

Tony starts to turn away from where they are on the passenger side, but Loki pulls him back, his hands holding onto the sides of his face as he kisses him. Tony doesn't even think twice about gripping onto his sides and pulling them even closer. He's glad that Loki didn't just want him from a distance, really… They were both already friends, but who doesn't love a good ole' fashion friends with benefits every now and again?

They eventually pull away to get in the car, and Tony drives them to the nearest Starbucks. They quick get coffees and a pastry each before hopping back into the car, both of them eating as Loki directs Tony to his house.

"You really meant it about your father spoiling you," Loki says as they park on the curb beside Loki's place. It's really big, actually. Tony didn't expect that. "This is a nice car."

"Yup," Tony says around a mouthful of pastry. "You've got a nice house, though. Mine's bigger."

Loki gives a good natured eye roll. "It's a good thing you're hot, Tony."

Tony grins, finishing his coffee. "It is a nice trait, yes."


	2. The Same Side of the Booth

[Chapter summary: In which Tony and Loki ditch, they go roller-skating with old friends and new, and Jane protects him from overprotective Thor.]

**2: The Same Side of the Booth**

"_You are exactly what I'm looking for  
You are the key that opens up the door."_  
—Extreme by Valora—

_Friday, October 4…_

Tony finds himself searching all over for Loki in the bleachers later that night at the game, finally spotting him in the very back with Clint. Tony grins and almost leaves Bruce behind as he starts hopping up there, spinning to sit beside Loki while Bruce plops down beside Clint.

"Hey!" Tony and Clint say together.

Loki smiles, and Tony instantly tunes the other two out. "Think we could switch the balls out for your pants?" he asks.

Tony grins. "_I_ know what we could switch out our pants for."

Loki smirks and looks over at Clint. "We're ditching you guys for the concession stands," he says.

He and Tony stand up and walk calmly away from the bleachers, Tony wishing they weren't on the opposite side of the track from the parking lot.

"I parked on the far edge," Tony says as they walk out. "My back seat is bigger than you think."

"Mmm, good."

Loki presses Tony hard against his car when they get to it, bending him down over the hood. Tony grins as Loki kisses his neck and bends up a knee, wrapping a leg around Loki's waist.

"You smell good," Loki whispers, nibbling at his earlobe.

Tony laughs, rubbing a hand through Loki's hair to hold onto the back of his neck. "I used my mom's lilac scented shampoo in the shower before coming here."

Loki snorts, pulling away from Tony's neck. "You should use it more often." He pulls Tony up to stand. "Back seat?"

Tony nods, quick unlocking the car before opening the door for Loki and then crawling in after him. he has tinted side windows to the outside viewer, which is very hand for such times as this.

Loki instantly pins Tony down, weaving their fingers together and holding Tony's hands above his head. He kisses him hard, sucking in on Tony's tongue and grinding down against him and—

"Oh gods," Tony moans, his erection getting painful against his zipper. "Lo', your clothes have _got_ to come off."

Loki breathes a laugh, and Tony can see his smile in the darkness of the car thanks to the lights shining in through the window. "Only if yours come off with them."

"Deal."

Loki strips off his t-shirt as Tony goes to his jeans, and by the time that Tony is just getting to his shirt, Loki is in just his boxers. He pushes Tony up against the door and kisses him, his fingers slipping up Tony's shirt to pull it up. Their lips separate just long enough to get it off, but Tony soon pushes him back to get at his neck. He doesn't even know why he likes it so much, but the way that Loki weaves his fingers into his hair and tilts his head to the side doesn't give him much time to think about it.

"For a body without boobs," Tony says, "you are really fucking hot". His hands are running all over any inch of Loki's skin that he can reach…his sides, chest, stomach, thighs, calves, arms…gah, everywhere.

Loki laughs, but it's cut off when a shiver runs through him as one of Tony's hands brushes over his inner thigh. "Thanks," he whispers. His hands drop to the elastic of Tony's boxers, tugging at the front. "I want to see all of you, baby."

Loki's eyes are all but black with lust, and Tony doesn't even _know_ what his are doing. He just nods, and they shift around to get them off. Loki pushes Tony down on his back before anything else can be done, just raking his eyes over Tony's body. Tony is about to say something or another, but he forgets all about it as soon as Loki's mouth is around the head of his cock.

"Loki, oh—oh shit," Tony breathes, pushing his hands into Loki's hair and trying _really_ hard not to push him faster. He knows how much of a douche move that is. "You are really—ahh—good at this, you know?"

Loki only hums in reply, which makes it feel even better—so when Loki doesn't _stop_ humming, Tony is brought to the edge even quicker than usual.

Loki sucks him dry before lying down on top of him, kissing all over his face.

When Tony is able to breathe normal again, he can't help but ask: "Is it _hard_ to swallow? I mean…there's a lot there, so it can't be easy."

Loki shrugs, still kissing him as he answers. "Some people don't like doing it, so it's hard for them, but it's easy for me because I like it."

Tony grins. "We're in a car this time, so there's no grass. Think I could do it, or would I just drool it everywhere?"

Loki smiles. "You'll drool it everywhere, but I shoved some napkins into your glove box. Worst case we clean it up."

Tony nods, motioning for Loki to lie down. His car isn't quite wide enough to lie across the back seats, but they're close. Loki starts to push off his boxers, but Tony stops him. he instead bends down and finds the cockhead through the underwear, sucking on it through the fabric. Loki moans unabashedly, his hands gripping onto Tony's shoulders. Tony pulls the fabric down slowly, licking a pathway down Loki's length to make him squirm. He finally sucks in on the actual head, looking up as his tongue swirls and his lips enclose. Loki's emerald green eyes are boring down into Tony's brown ones, and Tony's never realized how erotic the action is when he's done it with whatever girl before.

Loki comes in a flourish, and Tony does what he can with it, but as soon as he swallows what he gets in his mouth he just bursts into laughter.

Loki gives a tired laugh after just being spent. "Glove box, Tone."

Tony pulls them out and mops up Loki, Tony's face, and anything on the car seats before tossing the tissues onto the floor to get them later.

"Not bad," Loki says, pulling Tony down to lie on top of him.

"My throat feels thick," Tony says, resting his forehead against his shoulder.

"That's normal," Loki says, wrapping an arm around Tony and kissing the top of his head. "It'll go away soon."

Tony sighs happily, cuddling down against him. "I've never snuggled before…" he muses.

Loki gives an appalled sound. "It's a good thing I came along, then."

Tony nods, but then he groans. "We're missing the game. Bruce and Steve are going to kill me."

Loki breathes a laugh, and Tony realizes that one of his hands is rubbing lightly across his back. "Yeah, we should probably be getting back."

It's a lot harder getting dressed than it was getting _un_dressed, but they manage, and then Tony can't help but pull Loki against him again, and the whole thing almost starts right over. They stop, though, and Tony locks the car when they're outside of it, both of them now with heavy sweatshirts that they had only been carrying before.

"Hey, Tony?" Loki asks about halfway through the parking lot.

Tony looks up at him. "Yeah?"

"Can I hold your hand?"

Tony gives a warm smile. "'Course you can, Lo'."

The look on Bruce's face when they get back is priceless, but Clint just laughs. "You did _not_ seriously just have s—"

"We didn't," Loki says. "Don't even think about telling Thor that we left for so long or I'll tell Natasha about—"

Clint cringes and says, "Right, right, deal."

"Maybe _you're_ satisfied," Bruce says to Clint, "but…" He looks over at Tony. "You and I are _so_ going to talk."

Tony gives a sort of "blargh" sound as they stand, walking down the bleachers to get to just standing off at the side. Tony refrains from giggling so he doesn't have to tell Bruce that this is where he and Loki went through to give each other blowjobs.

"Okay, just let me get one thing straight," Bruce says, crossing his arms. "You and Loki aaare…what exactly?"

Tony frowns slightly. "I don't think we really have a title for it, actually."

"Explain it to me, then."

"Uh, we've each given each other blowjobs today…twice…"

Bruce's eyes widen. "But…but you're straight, aren't you?"

Tony shrugs. "He came onto me first, and boom, we're making out. I mentioned something about not being into guys and he sort of ignored me, and…well… I don't know, he's hot. I haven't really looked around at any other guys, so I'm not sure if that makes me bisexual or something. It's just him so far, and…" He waves a hand around. "Trust me, it sucks that he doesn't have boobs, but dicks are _not_ that bad."

Bruce snorts. "Do you have _any_ idea how weird that is coming from you?" he asks.

Tony grins. "Yes. Yes, I do."

When the game is over, Tony's school has won again.

"I have an _awesome_ idea," Clint says in the huge group that they're all standing in. It consists of all seven cheerleaders except Amora, plus seven of the varsity football players, being Steve, Thor, and some guys named Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg, James Barnes (who everyone just calls "Bucky"), and James Rhodes (who goes by "Rhodey"). Amora, Skurge, and Ivan are off with Victor and Justin doing who knows what drug for their celebration.

"I want _no_ part of this," Rhodey says, throwing his arms up and walking away.

Volstagg gives a hearty laugh. "What a party pooper. What is your idea, Clint?"

Clint grins. "It's Friday, right? We should totally all go roller skating."

Everyone blinks at him, and Bucky turns around and yells: "Rhodey, come back, it doesn't involve a sex tape this time!" Rhodey is long gone, though, so Bucky just gives a "bah" and turns back around.

"That doesn't sound terrible," Peggy says, nodding.

"Terrible?" Darcy asks. "That sounds great! I _never_ do anything!"

"Darcy, darling," Jane says with a small smile, "you just went ice skating with Fandral on Wednesday."

She smirks over at Fandral. "Oh yes, how could I forget?"

Fandral just gives a smile back that Tony can only describe as dashing.

Pepper sighs, redoing her ponytail. "I would rather finish my homework."

Sif rolls her eyes. "You're worse than Rhodey is."

She shrugs. "That is not my problem."

"What if we get you a date?" Tony asks brightly. "I _know_ that that Hogan guy has a crush on you."

Hogun cocks an eyebrow. "You do mean _Happy_ Hogan, right?"

Tony gives an awkward smile. "Uh, yeah, sorry. Not you."

"That is a _wonderful_ idea!" Thor booms, pulling Jane closer to him. "It will be a giant group date!"

Natasha wrinkles his nose up. "Not all of us are dating someone, Thor?"

"Does it matter?" the blonde asks. "Those of you who are not dating anyone are free to pair up with others as only friends."

Tony _definitely_ notices Steve giving Peggy a shy but very longing look that he thinks _she_ doesn't notice, but she totally does. He doesn't have time to watch it pan out, though, because Loki elbows him lightly.

The magician is smiling down at him. "Do you want to go?"

He grins back. "Yeah, totally."

"Yay!" Clint says, throwing his arms around Natasha. "You are so going to pretend to be my date."

She smiles down at him. The fact that Clint, of all people, is the only person that can really bring her out of her shell is beyond Tony. "Deal," she says.

In the end, Bucky is going with his girlfriend (Sharon Carter, who is also Peggy's cousin), Fandral is with Darcy, Thor is with Jane, Peggy grins up at Steve with a bright smile and a warm "hey", Bruce and Pepper are going as friends, and then Hogun, Sif, and Volstagg are also going as friends. Tony and Loki are going technically as friends, but Tony's not really sure what he should call them right now.

The rink has an open skate open until one in the morning on Friday nights (Saturday mornings?), and with the game having ended at about nine-fifteen, the group of seventeen finally all shows up at about nine-forty-five, what with some asking parents and/or others changing their clothes.

"I can't even remember the last time I did this," Tony says as he sits down to put his skates on. They dominate most of the rink, which is fine since there are only about five other people around if you don't include the three employees. "I may have been, like, twelve."

"And you're seventeen now?"

He nods. "I turn eighteen on March third."

Loki grins. "I'm older than you. I turn eighteen on January forth."

Tony elbows him lightly as the other senior puts his own skates on. "I'm just saying that you might have to hold me upright, asshole."

The smile that lights up on Loki's face is honestly a little unexpected. "I'd be happy to," he says.

Tony falls over once before he gets the hang of it, and the only reason that Loki doesn't catch him that one time is because he and Hogun we're racing around the rink…

"Oh good lord," Loki says as Tony is laughing on the floor, Pepper already to him and laughing as well. "I'm not even gone for a minute and you biff on me!"

"It's okay," Pepper says as they help Tony up. "It was funny to see from the back."

"It was fucking _hilarious_," Clint says, spinning to a halt beside them. "His arms and legs flopped out in, like, twelve different directions."

Tony sticks his tongue out. "Rude."

Clint shrugs before holding his hand out, and he's instantly whisked away by Natasha, who instantly starts up what looks like an intricate level of the Salsa.

"Wow," Bruce says, stopping beside them as well. "The Salsa on wheels. That's impressive."

"What's more impressive at this point," Pepper says, is the way that Peggy is teaching Steve how to skate over there.

The four of them turn to see that, yes, Peggy is instructing him how to move his legs and probably something about taking as long as he needs.

"Hasn't Steve been skating before?" Tony asks.

"Yeah, but he sucks," Bruce says. "He's even worse than I am."

Loki smirks. "I take it you four don't come here very often."

Pepper snorts. "Not by a long shot. I'm the best out of us, though."

Loki motions over to where Natasha and Clint are doing some other difficult dance. "They're the best of us, mostly tied. Thor and I are tied as well, but Thor's stronger, so he looks—Thor!" he suddenly yells, zipping away. "Put her _down_!"

Tony laughs at how Thor is twirling Jane in the air around him, and Loki continues to yell at him about being kicked out again.

Pepper and Bruce laugh before heading off again, and Tony just leans against the wall railing and checks his phone for any messages (not that he'd have any, seeing that all his friends are here) until Loki gets back.

"Come on, I want a Slushy and you are going to keep my company."

They finish their lap around the rink before going over the thin carpet to get to the little concession stand in the back corner, and Loki gets a blueberry flavored Slushy and nachos.

"Eat some of these," he says as they sit down at one of the booths. "I only want half."

Tony laughs. "With pleasure."

It's not until he's done with his half that he realizes that he's actually sitting down beside Loki instead of across from him, plus the fact that Loki has the leg closest to him draped over Tony's thigh.

Loki notices him notice, and he gives a sheepish grin. "Sorry. I'm eating flavored ice and you're warm."

Tony smiles, snatching of few nachos from Loki's half. "It's fine, I'd be doing the same thing."

When Loki is all done with his food, he lets out a happy sigh. "I love food."

Tony cocks an eyebrow. "Is that why you're a skinny as Pepper."

"I am not as skinny as Pepper," he says, wrinkling his nose up.

Tony grins, dragging a finger down his arm since he's in a short sleeve. "Yeah, I guess you are a bit more muscular than she is."

Tony has gotten bedroom eyes before, but _damn_.

"I don't think I'm going to be able to wait until the end of the fall season," he whispers.

All of the breath rushes out of Tony's lungs, and he doesn't even think about the fact that there are over twenty people around them. He just leans up and kisses Loki hard, gripping onto his sides. Loki's fingers tangle up into his hair, mashing them together so that Tony can't even breathe.

That's when they get at least three catcalls, though, and they pull away to grin guilty at the way that Clint, Darcy, and Bucky are leering at them. The grins are wiped away, though, when they realize that Thor does not look near as pleased.

"Think we can get out of here before he gets to us?" Loki asks quietly

"I wish," Tony says back.

Thor is on the outside of the booth, closer to Tony than Loki, in less time than it would have even taken to get out of the booth in the first place.

"You told me you did not like anybody, brother?" the blonde says, crossing his arms and giving an angrily confused look.

"That was two weeks ago, Thor," Loki growls at him. "I didn't _know_ Tony two weeks ago."

He's about to say something else (and TT not at all ashamed for cowering back against Loki), but Jane gets there before he can:

"Stop it, Thor!" she says angrily. "You can't keep dictating his life like this!"

Thor glares down at her, but she doesn't even flinch at the lighting that flashes in his eyes and the invisible thunder cloud forming over his head. "He is my brother, Jane."

"Well you're _his_ brother, aren't you?" she asks, hands on her hips. Somehow, just by doing that, she seems to tower above him. "Shouldn't he be mad at _you_ for dating _me_?"

Thor frowns. "You and Stark are very different."

She gives an aggravated sigh. "Look, Thor. He may be your brother, but you're not allowed to dictate everything that he does. You can protect him, but do it from a _distance_."

Thor is just pouting, now. "But Jane, Stark is—"

"From a very respectable family, Thor. He has the highest grades and he'll be able to take care of Loki. Stop arguing with me and go _sit_." She points at a booth on the opposite side of where they are now. "I'll be right over and we can argue over there."

Thor sighs and skates over there, glaring down at the table when he sits.

Jane sighs, looking over at Tony and Loki. Everyone else is trying really hard not to watch but totally is anyway. "I'm sorry your brother is overprotective sometimes, Loki," she says. "You know I've done what I can to straight him out, but…" She shrugs. "I guess I'll just keep trying."

"Thank you, Jane," Loki says with a nod.

She smiles. "Of course, Loki. Besides, you two are cute."

Tony and Loki just sit there in silence, and after a while Tony drops his head back so that it drops against his shoulder (since he's still in his cowering position).

"I think she thinks that we're dating," he says.

"So do I," Loki says, nodding. "Do you, uh, want to?"

"Yup."

Loki smiles. "The best part about my parents not knowing that I'm gay is that I can have non-restricted sleepovers."

Tony grins back. "The best part about my parents not giving a shit is that they don't even realize if I have someone over."

Loki wraps his arms around Tony's stomach and looks down at him. "I know Bruce rode here with you, but could anyone else take him home? Your house sounds _great_."

"Steve can take him," Tony says, wrapping his arms up around Loki's neck. "Besides, one of the employees keeps looking over at us like he wants to kick us out."

Loki rolls his eyes. "Homophobic people are my favorite," he mutters. "Go tell Bruce, yeah?"

Tony nods and skates off, catching up to Bruce as he's chatting up one of the five that were there before them.

"Hey, sorry to interrupt…" he says, giving a small salute. "Bruce, would you be able to find another ride home? Loki and I are ditching out on you guys?"

Bruce gives an absentminded nod, smiling at the girl before looking over at Tony. "Tony, you recognize Betty, right? She goes to high school with us."

Tony looks her over. "No, I…sorry." He holds his hand out. "Tony Stark. Nice to meet you."

She shakes his hand back with a smile. "Betty Ross."

Tony nods and looks back at Bruce. "Did you hear me or not?"

"Oh, right," Bruce says, shaking his head back and forth. "Yeah, yeah, I'll get Steve to take me. He drove half of us here in his van, anyway." Steve has one of those hippie Volkswagen vans, except that it's awkwardly opposite since it's painted in abstract patterns of red, white, and blue.

Loki waits for Tony to take of his skates and get his real shoes back on, taking his hand as soon as they're walking out to the car.

"Having weekends off is the best," Loki says.

Tony grins and pushes up to kiss his cheek before shoving off to the driver's seat. "It's definitely going to be my new favorite thing."

Tony's house is three stories tall, plus the attic and basement. It's more tall than it is, wide, really. It's not the best of the Stark houses, but it's the one that Tony is always at since he goes to school around here. His dad is mostly out on business trips, and his mom is usually just not in it because she'd rather go out smoking with her friends. That's another reason that Tony doesn't like drugs and things… His dad is always drunk, his mom smokes the posh looking cigarettes from the olden days, and both of his parents did heroine in high school. That's how they met, actually… Rehab, two years after graduating. That's why Tony is sure that they were in love at one point, but he never believed that it was ever enough to get _married_, but they both had huge inheritances, so they decided to pool the wealth together. Howard then finished four years of college and started Stark Industries, and boom, he owns a multi-billion dollar company.

The house had already been built, but Howard had the entire inside redone so that it would fit the needs of him and…well, his business partners. The first floor is the living room, kitchen, dining room, laundry room, and a bathroom, and it's always kept absolutely immaculate. The second floor up holds the master bedroom (that covers half of the entire floor), plus two guest bedrooms (which are both usually empty). The third floor has a theater room that nobody really uses, the movie closet that Tony uses often enough, private offices for Tony's parents each, and another bathroom. The attic is nothing but where Howard does work at home, and he chose up there so he could open up the sunroof and air out any experiments gone bad or reenact the creating of Frankenstein's monsters or something.

The entire basement, on the other hand, is all Tony's, and that way he'll never come upstairs to bother anyone unless he needs to use the oven/stovetop (which is basically never since he's got a toaster that he made himself, a fridge/freezer, and a microwave. The stairs that lead to it show off how the entire basement stretches out, and just to the right is a room that's been made inside the basement to serve as Tony's actual bedroom. In the basement, though, besides his kitchen things, is a boxing ring in the far corner (Tony doesn't like working out, but he really does like boxing—though not enough to make a profession out of it), some tables in the middle of the room that are covered in a million and one different projects both for school and for the heck of it, and Tony's favorite part of the room to the left. It's a big couch facing three different screens (being a big computer screen and two big flat screen TV's that are connected to the computer setup) above long shelves holding movie after video game after CD. It's definitely where Tony spends most of his time, and whenever any of his friends are bored they're allowed to just let themselves into Tony's house and use it and whatever else down here that they want to. Tony doesn't really have any privacy issues.

His bedroom is boring compared the rest of it, really. He's got his queen sized bed across from the door, a desk on the left of where the door opens, a trash can by the desk/at the bottom corner of the bed, a nightstand beside the bed, a tall ass dresser (with a million and one different drawers in it for his clothes and things) beside that/to the right of the door, and then a very hot/sexy/whatever you want to call it Playboy Bunny poster pinned up on the wall at the end of Tony's feet if he ever feels like jacking off to help him fall asleep. Now, though… Well, he's not going to take it down right away, but he might have to pull out his good camera to switch it out with a poster of Loki (his head cut out so nobody recognizes it, of course) instead.

Loki laughs as they walk into his room, and Tony gives a guilty grin.

"I can take it down, if you want," he says, pushing the rolling chair in front of his desk out of the way. His floor is just concrete since he's in the basement, so he's got a lot of rugs all over the place. He fucking hates getting out of bed in the middle of the night to pee and having to walk across ice. He's got heaters down here, but it's not exactly easy to warm up concrete.

"No, it's not that," Loki says, looking over at the closed laptop on the desk. It's red, but Tony's stuck a whole bunch of gold stickers to it. His bedspread is red and gold, too. They're his favorite colors, so why not? "I have the same one in my room. It's not easy to fool my parents, so I do what I can."

Tony cocks an eyebrow. "You mean you've got it so they think you're straight?"

He nods. "My mother wouldn't really give a shit about it, but my father would probably try and disown me." He sighs through his nose. "They think that Natasha and I are dating, too. We pretend when they're around."

Tony gives a warm smile. "That's another great thing about my house," he says, pulling Loki into his arms. "You don't have to pretend."

Loki just smiles sadly in return. "I don't think it's that easy, Tony. Both of our fathers are in business, so what if they happen to be partners in something or another? It might get back to my father and I'll be fucked. I don't know if I trust people enough to, ah…" He averts his eyes. "Go _completely_ public yet."

Tony tilts his head slightly. "You held my hand at the football game, though, and you kissed me back at the roller rink."

"I held your hand because my parents weren't able to make tonight's game, and then I kissed you back because I wanted you bad enough that I didn't care. But it… It can't get any further, okay? We weren't dating when those things happened, but now it's…it's _real_. You understand, right? Maybe your parents don't care, but mine are, ah, different from yours."

Tony nods fervently. "No, I understand." And he does, really. Completely. It might hurt a little anyway, but at least he knows that it's not because Loki is at all ashamed of dating Tony or something. It's because he's scared, and Tony knows _exactly_ how that feels. "No one else will know." He suddenly lets out a gasp. "That's it, Lo'!" he says excitedly. He's not really sure _why_ he's this excited about it, but hey, why not? "We'll make a game out of it! The sport of trust!"

Loki gives him a warm smile. "That's not a sport, Tony."

"Psh, it is now."

Loki gives a good natured eye roll and kisses his cheek. "I'm sorry."

Tony knows he's back on the topic of keeping their relationship mostly a secret, so he just grins and spins away to lean against the bed. "Prove it."

Loki laughs, going right over to him. He bends him backwards onto the bed as he did on the hood of Tony's car, his hands running down Tony's sides to let his fingers curl around his hips. Tony sucks lightly in on his tongue, running his hands into Loki's raven black hair. Loki grinds down hard against him, but the rest of him is so…soft. His kisses are slow and his grip is light, and Tony won't deny that it's a sensation he's not used to. Anyone else he's been with is here get it over with and be satisfied doing it, and that's about it.

Loki eventually pulls them up, and Tony instantly crawls back onto the bed. They turn to the side (since the bed is sideways to the door) so that Tony can lie down, kicking his shoes off as Loki settles on top of him. Tony doesn't care _if_ Loki thinks that Tony would top because he's more independent, Loki is definitely better at being the more dominant out of the two of them. Maybe Tony's stubborn and annoying, but he really doubts he's going to be any good at topping.

He drops his hands to Loki's waist to push up at his shirt, and instead of going back to kissing once it's been thrown to the floor, Loki pulls Tony up so they can just get completely undressed altogether.

"_Fuck_," Loki whispers, pinning Tony down and sucking hard at his neck. Tony already has a hicky, but he's going to have a second since this is on the other side. "I almost didn't go to the first game, you know?" he breathes. "Clint almost wasn't able to get me to go."

Tony mean to laugh, but he just breathes out a moan instead as Loki grinds down against him. "R-really?" he asks, his hands around his waist to grip against his ass. "I'm—ahh—very glad you came."

"I want you, Tony," Loki whispers, pulling away to stare down at him with black eyes. "I don't want to wait, I—"

Tony cuts him off: "Good." He pulls him back down and gives him a short, hard kiss. "I actually have lube in my nightstand," he says. "Some girls are into that, so…" He shrugs.

Loki laughs, crawling over him to reach over and pull open the top drawer. "Oh wow, it's a mess in here," he says.

"Far right corner in the back."

Loki leans back with it a moment later, shoving the drawer shut. "Are you, uh…" He purses his lips. "How are we doing this?"

Tony snorts. "Neither of us have done this before, so… Rock, Paper, Scissors?"

Loki blinks down at him. "I know I said that you're more independent than I am, but I'm just going to do it."

Tony grins. "That is _fine_ with me."

"Hands and knees, then." He crawls off of Tony so he can get into such a position, not realizing until he's there that he has literally never been a situation like this before. He's done a lot of things in this bed that have required washing the sheets multiple times, but never with another guy, and certainly not with his ass pointed unabashedly at their face.

He hears the quite _snick_ of the lube cap, and then Loki is tossing it down by Tony's knee. He's used it before, so he's ready for the cold of it when Loki spreads his cheeks with one hand and presses his finger to the hole.

The first finger is, ah…very odd, to put it simply. Loki coaxes him through it, though, which is much appreciated. When Loki is finished up with the third finger, though… Well, Tony's used to it by then, and he is definitely glad that Loki decided to top, because he can't even remember the last time he moaned into his pillow so hard.

Loki groans, all but rolling off of the bed.

Tony pouts his bottom lip down at him. "Come baaack."

"Condoms," he says, digging into his jeans. Tony is too turned on to laugh at the pink and orange floral design on his wallet, pulling out the small package. "I may or may not have bottom a box of these on Wednesday," he says, crawling back on to where Tony's flopped onto his side.

Tony _has_ to laugh now. "I have lots, Lo'."

He shrugs. "I figured."

Loki leans down and kisses him, soft at first before the passion in it flames up hotter—that may also be due to the fact that Loki's hand grips around Tony's hot for a couple of seconds, but hey, whatever.

"Back on your knees, babe," Loki whispers, leaning away. "It'll hurt less the first time."

Tony does so as Loki puts the condom on, followed by using the lube to smooth it up more than what it comes with and then using just a few more to slicken up the outside of Tony's entrance.

Tony lets out a deep breath as he feels Loki's cockhead position against him.

"Ready?" Loki asks, voice husky.

"Yeah," Tony says.

He takes in a deep breath as Loki pushes slowly in, stopping as soon s the head is in. He waits a couple of seconds before continuing in, his hands gripping hard against Tony's hips. It's an even odder sensation than the fingers were, but when Loki is all the way in, the feeling of being full is Tony's new favorite thing.

"You okay?" Loki asks in a breath.

"Yeah, yeah," Tony says, swallowing. "You."

"Yeah, definitely."

"Then _move_."

Loki pulls out slowly until just the head is inside again, following by pushing in just a bit faster. His speed picks up as he goes, and very soon Tony is rocking with him, the pillow muffling most of his moans. Loki drapes himself over Tony's back after a while, changing the angle so th—

"_Fuck_," Tony moans as stars explode behind his eyes. He doesn't have a _clue_ what the hell just happened, but he finds himself begging for Loki to do it again. Loki must know exactly what it was, because he's able to do it again…and again…and _fuck_, Tony has no idea how long he's going to last.

"Tony, I..." Loki moans, his fingernails digging into Tony's skin. "I think I'm going to—"

He doesn't finish before he drops his forehead against Tony's back, moaning his name as he comes. The action pulls Tony over right after him, coating his stomach and sheets (thank goodness the main covers were shoved back after he got up this morning; he hates washing that big thing) as he lets out a string of incoherent moans.

They just kneel there as their breathing slows slightly, and Loki eventually pulls out with a soft _pop_. Tony flops to his side and Loki drops onto his stomach beside him, their faces facing each other as they're still breathing heavy.

"Know what?" Tony asks when he can speak.

"What?" Loki asks, pushing up to drop down closer to him, an arm over his waist.

"I'm really glad we didn't wait."

Loki smiles and kisses his forehead. "Is it really the same day since being under the bleachers?"

Tony blinks at him. "Oh. Wow. Loki, shit, it is." He laughs. "_How_ have we missed each other during all the other football seasons?"

"I have _no_ idea."

Tony nods, swallowing. "Do you, uh…want to stay over?"

Loki nods. "I should call my mom." He looks over at the clock that Tony has on his desk. "Good, it's barely ten. She's always up until at least eleven.

After Loki has called to tell her that he's staying over with Tony, he giggles.

"What?" Tony asks.

"We left the door open," he says.

Tony smiles. "You should shut it. I don't want the heat getting out into the rest of the basement to be wasted the entire night."

Loki nods, even clicking shut the lock, before going back and—"Oh, yuck," he says, looking down at his stomach. "I collapsed into your come."

Tony bursts into laughter, only able to point at his box of tissues instead of actually grabbing them. After they've cleaned themselves up, Tony stands to hold the big blanket up while Loki yanks off the dirty sheet and tosses it over by the door. Then they drop back down, cuddling up under the blankets.

"I've never actually _slept_ with someone after sleeping with them," he says. "Nobody ever stays over afterwards."

Loki smiles and kisses his forehead again. "Looks like your sex life is changing substantially, then."

Tony smiles. "Yes, and thank god for that. G'night, Lo'."

"Goodnight, Tony."


	3. The Tower and the Golden Knight

[Chapter summary: In which Tony is the worst bedtime storyteller ever.]

**3: The Tower and the Golden Knight**

"_Is it wrong to belong?  
To face the future with another  
Who means more than any other...  
Is it wrong?"_  
—Tomorrow is Another Day by Shelby Flint—

_Saturday, October 5…_

Tony wakes up to a very peculiar sound, and he just can't place it. He also finds that there's a warmth pressed against his back, and his first thought is that the heater got up to lie next to him because he was shivering. That's not possible, though, so he doubts it. Maybe it's connected to the arm draped over his side… Ah, yes, it's a body—which means that the peculiar sounds is _breathing_. It takes him about another minute to remember _who_ is breathing, though, and he's suddenly hit with so many memories and sensations at once that he actually gasps a little. He's also sore, which he is going to make Loki pay for no matter _how_ good it felt.

He turns over very slowly, surprised that he and Loki didn't move at all while asleep. Loki doesn't snore, thankfully, but his hair has fallen down over his eyes and neck and everywhere else that it can reach. Tony cranes his neck to see the clock, which reads at about ten. Twelve hours of sleep, then. Good. Tony doesn't usually get much sleep, to be honest. He stays up late on school nights when he already has to be up at six-forty-five, and then on weekends he sometimes doesn't sleep at all.

Tony doesn't know how long he watches Loki sleep, but no matter how the books make it seem, he gets pretty bored of it after a while. Maybe Loki does look calm and innocent, but Loki happens to be calm very often, and Tony _knows_ that he's not innocent, so it sort of ruins it.

"Lo'," he whispers, pushing his hair out of his face. "Lo', hey, wake up."

Loki gives a small groan, snuggling closer to Tony.

Tony smiles down at him, tickling lightly over his back. "Rise and shine, babe. Well, rise and concrete, anyway."

Loki opens his eyes with a sigh, looking up at Tony with a tiny glare. "You could have just left me in here and gone to play with your screens. I would have found you eventually."

Tony gives a good natured eye roll. "I'll do that next time."

Loki gives a happy sigh at the idea, and his arms warp up around Tony's neck so he can bury his face in the crook between his neck and shoulder. "Mmm, I love your bed. It's so soft and…big."

Tony chuckles. "Let me guess: you have a single sized bed?"

Loki nods, giving the bottom of his chin a light kiss. "I don't have any overnight stuff, so do you have an extra toothbrush that I could borrow?"

Tony nods. "A shirt, too, if you want."

"That would be nice."

Loki stretches out like a cat underneath the covers, and t wishes to anything that he'd do it again on _top_ of the covers and facing _away_ from Tony…

They both shuffle out to the bathroom without any clothes on, so it's not even semi-possible for Tony to hide his growing erection. It's _some_ what forgotten as they're brushing, but he remembers again when he has to pee. Loki laughs at him as he digs for a hairbrush, finally finding one and working on his bed head/sex hair.

"_You_," Tony says, walking up behind him and resting his chin on his shoulder (which he only just reaches, to be honest), "are wonderful, but I am now sore."

Loki snickers, putting the hairbrush away and setting the toothbrush off to the side before he turns around. "I'm sure I could make it up to you," he says.

Tony laughs. "Oh, the life of insatiable teenage boys."

"Mmm, and what a wonderful life it is."

Tony kisses Loki the entire way back to the bedroom, only stopping because Loki pushes Tony back towards the bed as he closes the door and locks it. Tony always forgets to, but if that's what makes Loki comfortable, that is just fine.

Loki pushes Tony up against the wall this time, and Tony is glad that he has two sheets on the bed. He'll shove the covers aside as they go. The magician straddles him and _fuck_, why is Tony even attracted to him? _Why_ is Tony in love with his porcelain skin and his raven black hair and those emerald green eyes that bore block holes into Tony's soul…?

"You know what I want?" Loki whispers into Tony's ear, his fingers curling lightly around his cock.

Tony breathes out a moan, his nails digging into Loki's thighs. "What?" he chokes out.

Loki smirks, gripping him tighter as he starts to pump his hand. "I want you to coat your fingers with lube and stretch me like the other bitches you've brought here, and I want you to pin me down as you slide your cock in and out of me until I see _stars_." He bends down, nibbling lightly at the top rim of Tony's ear. "Can you do that for me, baby? Please?"

Tony almost loses it right there in Loki's hand, but by pushing the hand away entirely he's able to hold it back. "Uh, yeah," he chokes again. "Yeah, I think I can do that."

Loki grins down at him before crawling off, doing the very cat stretch that Tony was longing for earlier. He pushes a hand through his hair and looks back at Tony, sly, seductive smile on his face. Tony has no idea where he's learned it from if Tony is the only one he's ever slept with before… Loki's got that natural confidence that Tony does _anything_ to get with, dammit.

"Will you rim me first?" he asks.

Tony doesn't even nod. He just bends over Loki's ass, spreading his cheeks and delving in his tongue. Loki hisses out moans of pleasure, arching his back even more so that Tony has a better access. He just wants to do it forever and ever, but he does remember the other thing he's got to do, and he'll be damned if either of them come before then.

He kisses somewhere in the middle of Loki's spine as he leans over to grab the lube from where they set it on the nightstand last night, and he also yanks open the top drawer to dig around for a condom. He quick leans back and coats three fingers, barely able to contain himself.

"Tell me when to stop," he says.

"Kay," Loki breathes, and Tony is pretty sure that if voices turned black with lust like eyes did, Loki's would be dripping with enough to fill a tar pit.

Loki tells Tony he's ready when he's about halfway through the third finger, and as Tony is leaning back to roll on the condom, Loki turns over.

"I want to see you," he says before Tony can ask. "Kiss you."

He does as Tony gets some more lube for the condom, and he rolls it onto the ground and wipes his fingers on the sheets before pushing Loki onto his back. He swallows deep before positioning himself against Loki's own entrance, swirling himself to slick up the outside like Loki did last night. He's only doing what Loki did, really. He'd be lost any other way.

Loki swings his legs up and over Tony's shoulders, and Tony can't help but widen his eyes a little.

Loki grins. "One more reason to hang out with the cheerleaders."

Tony smiles. "Ready?"

Loki nods, his eyes dropping to watch what he can.

Tony pushes in just as slow as Loki had, though he's barely able to control it. Fuck, it is way tighter than being with a girl. Tony thought they were good, but this is _way_ better. Yeah, he's definitely going bi.

Loki's hands rest against the sides of his face as soon as he's all the way in, kissing the tip of his nose. "You're trembling," he whispers.

Tony gives a half smile before just kissing him again, pulling out a little bit faster in the process. By the time that Loki is seeing those stars, Tony isn't shaking anymore because they're moving too much.

Tony comes first this time, Loki's legs now wrapped tight around his waist as he pumps in a few more times for Loki to come as well. Tony pulls out right away to drop beside him, letting his breathing slow.

"Sorry," Tony says, giving him a small smirk. "I probably didn't pin you down enough."

Loki breathes a laugh and kisses him, pressing against each other and smearing around the come between their stomachs even more.

"You know what _we_ need?" Tony says.

"What?" Loki asks.

"A _shower_, and mine is big enough for two."

Loki smiles. "That is a _splendid_ idea."

When they're all cleaned up and Loki is in one of Tony's shirt and a pair of his boxers (his jeans were clean enough, plus the fact that he wouldn't fit in Tony's anyway), Tony finds himself working on computer files on the couch while Loki lies across his lap. The magician falls asleep there eventually (which Tony completely understands if he works a nightshift), and Tony can't help but smile down at him.

Tony has a _boy_friend. The fact that Tony is in a relationship at all is unreal in itself, but there is no surprise in the fact that they're in a mostly lust-driven relationship. They'll have to play Truth or Dare when Loki wakes up. You can learn _everything_ about a person during Truth or Dare.

**XxX**

_Saturday, October 5…_

Tony has been working on a robot program for a few weeks now, starting early on the science fair because he doesn't have anything better to do. He finished any homework due on Monday in his classes, so it's not like he can do that. It's only the beginning of October, but the fair isn't until May, so Tony has _plenty_ of time to—

His phone bursts into the chorus of "When I Grow Up" by the Pussycat Dolls, and he groans before snatching up the call from Pepper. Tony has a lot of contacts in his phone, but that's mostly so he can ignore numbers of people trying to get a hold of him for a party or sex if he's busy/not in the mood. Five of the contacts have designated ringtones, Pepper's being her least favorite song. Steve's is America's National Anthem (to make fun of his car, mostly), Bruce's is the Back to the Future theme song (it's his favorite series, and he perfects his Doctor Emmett Brown costume every year), his dad's (who he usually just calls Howard unless someone won't know who he means) is AC/DC's "Highway to Hell", and his mom's (named Maria, though Tony just calls her mom) is Katy Perry's "Self Inflicted". He'll have to figure out one for Loki… Maybe "Low" by Flo Rida or something else that brings up thoughts to turn Tony on.

"Hi," he whispers. "Loki is sleeping. Can you hear me alright?"

"I can hear you _fine_," she mutters. "_Loki_, Tony? You've gotten together with _Loki_? You barely even know him!"

Tony rolls his eyes. "I know he's got one hell of an ass and that we have similar family problems."

"Tony, _I_ know him better than you do. He sits with us almost every day. He may seem okay now, but he is nothing less than high maintenance. He's got a dark side, Tony, and he's not afraid to show it."

"Pepper, calm down. I _know_ I don't know him well, okay? I'm working on it. We're not going to have a one-hundred percent trust in four days, so why _would_ he have shown it to me yet? It's not going to kill me to be in a real relationship, okay? Worst case we break up. It's not the end of the world that he's a guy, either, if that's why you're really freaking out."

Pepper sighs angrily. "No, I don't care that he's a guy, but Tony, I'm not looking after _you_ with this. I'm looking after _him_. I'm worried that you're going to hurt him for any number of reasons, but mostly if this is only some weird experiment of yours without you even realizing it. You do those on accident sometimes."

Pepper hardly _ever_ makes Tony angry, but for some reason that really pisses him off. "He's not an _experiment_, Pepper. Excuse me for having a _crush_ on somebody. I've done it before, remember? In eighth grade? But _you_ didn't like me back, so it didn't end up going anywhere."

"Oh my g—you are not still holding that against me!"

"No, but I'm making a point that you need to calm the fuck down. Maybe I'll hurt him, or hey, maybe he'll hurt me. You may work for my dad, but that doesn't mean that you get to tell me what to do like he does."

Pepper sighs. "Fine. Would you call Steve, though? He's not going to yell or anything, he's just confused. You owe him at least that."

Tony sighs back. "Yeah, I will right now. Bye, Pep."

"Goodbye, Tony."

The explanation with Steve goes very smooth and quiet. Steve grew up very traditional, so the idea of one of his best friends dating a guy is odd to him. He doesn't discriminate, he's just not used to it.

With all the talking, Loki is stirring now, stretching out over the couch. "You have woken me twice now," he says, staring tiredly up at him. "I hope this isn't going to be an even more recurring event."

Tony grins guiltily down at him. "I'll make sure it isn't."

"Good, because I usually sleep the entire forty-eight hours that are my weekend." He stretches out again before settling back across Tony's lap.

"Wanna play a game?" Tony asks. "Not a video game. Truth or Dare."

Loki cocks an eyebrow up at him. "You mean do I want to play the 'get to know you' game?"

"Well…yeah, I guess."

"No dare, then?"

"Well, I was thinking more along the lines of if you refuse to do the dare then I'll learn little things too. You can learn a lot from which dare somebody does or doesn't do."

"I don't care, I'm going to refuse to do any that make me move."

"Fine, then. No dare."

"I'll play, then. You ask a question, I'll answer it, you answer your own question so I know your answer as well, and then the process repeats backwards."

Tony nods. "Yeah, alright. What's your favorite color?"

"Green, but I have a thing for gold, silver, and bronze as well."

Tony grins. "That's cool, because my favorite colors are _red_ and gold."

He laughs. "We're the Christmas Olympics!"

Tony doesn't even know how long they play, but he learns a million and one different things about his boyfriend. His favorite animal is a horse, his favorite food is shrimp (for some reason Tony just pictured him not liking any seafood), his favorite season is summer (so he doesn't have to grapple with going to school _and_ working the night shift; he seriously gets like…three hours of sleep a day. No wonder he sleeps all weekend), his favorite holiday is Halloween, he's somewhat of a pyromaniac, and his favorite word is "inconspicuous" (for no real purpose at all). His favorite band is Muse, he loves the Terminator movies (especially Terminator: Salvation, because he's in love with Anton Yelchin and Christian Bale), and he has the lines from The Little Mermaid completely memorized. He doesn't drink often, but when he does it's a tequila or a margarita, and he says that the entire cheer team thinks he's a great singer, he's just far too shy to sing for only Tony. He'd rather be outside than inside because he loves climbing trees, he'd take a bath over a shower any day of the week, and he's a dog person. Those last two are completely opposite to Tony… He'd rather be inside with his computers, and he gets along much better with cats.

"That makes sense," Loki had said with a nod. "See, if you were a cat or a dog, you would be a dog, and I would be a cat. You like cats better, which is why you like me, and I like dogs better, which is why I like you."

After their game, Loki yawns. "Not that I don't like you or anything," he says, curling into a ball, "but I really do need to keep sleeping."

Tony laughs, dragging his fingers lightly down his pant leg. "Yeah, you should. You might want to move back to the bed, though, or I'll just wake you up again."

Tony goes off to put on clean sheets as Loki builds up the willpower to actually get up, and then Tony makes the trek upstairs to put the dirty sheets into the washing machine.

"Tony?" Loki says when Tony is coming back to shut the door.

"Yeah?"

"Do you have any stuffed animals?"

Tony smiles. "No, sorry. I can tuck you in, though, or make up a bedtime story."

He grins, throwing the blanket around to mess it up. "Tuck me in."

Tony goes over to do so, and then he sits down beside him and pushes his hair out of his eyes. "A story, too?"

"If you want."

Tony nods. "Once upon a time there was a prince named Loki. Loki was totally hot, and everyone was jealous, so they locked him up in a tower so that he would never again plague them with his beauty."

Loki giggles. "This is a terribly familiar story, Tony."

"Shush, I'm making it better. The prince didn't age when he was in the tower, so one-thousand and…uh…seven years passed. He was always bored, so to pass the time he would sing, make a mess so he could clean it, and masturbated."

"You are ruining the story, Tony."

"Shh, I'm getting to the good part. One day, a brave knight in golden armor was riding through the woods in search of…uh…mushrooms, and he heard a _beautiful_ singing voice. Now, this knight was equally as sexy—"

"How modest of you."

"—and nobody was into the practice of locking up attractive people anymore. Loki had been completely forgotten about, seeing that everyone who knew about him was long dead, so Loki was bored as usual and singing out to the animals around them. The knight rode his steed after the sound, devastated when it stopped before he got to its player. He rode around for ages to find the voice, and finally, at nightfall, he found the tower. He hopped off and tied his steed near a small creek before circling the tower until he found the only window at the very top. He called to see if anyone was there, and a few moments later, Loki swung out of the window to lean out from the edge and see who was calling up easier. The knight, named Anthony, was instantly captivated by the sheer sexiness of the man. 'Hot damneth,' Anthony yelled up to him. 'Thou hast a drop dead gorgeous face!'"

Loki bursts into laughter, completely messing up the blankets. "Tony, you're supposed to be making me _sleep_, not laugh!"

Tony grins. "Do you want me to stop?"

He rolls his eyes. "No."

"Good. So Loki stared down at him, unsure of how to answer after being stuck inside a tower for over a thousand years, but he finally says in return, 'As do you, brave knight! I would be most grateful of you if you would get me out of here. It's been so long, you see.' So the knight created a ladder out of…erm…grass and twigs and stuff and somehow threw it up so that Loki could catch it because I don't want to think of a way that could actually work, and he held it as steady as he could as Loki swung all the way down. Uh, somehow the prince looked totally perfect even though he hadn't eaten, drunken, or bathed in over a thousand years, whatever reality is dumb… So then…" He puffs his cheeks up in thought, trying to think of something non-sexual so he and Loki don't end up having sex again. He's still sore, so he knows that Loki is, and his boyfriend really does need to sleep. "And then a bear came and ate them both. The end!" He leaps up and goes to leave.

"Tony!"

Tony turns around to grin at him guilty. "Yes?"

"What _kind_ of bear was it?"

"A grizzly bear. You know, the dangerous kind that the brave knight was too busy making out with the prince to notice."

He rolls his eyes. "That was the worst story every. Come back here and kiss me goodnight, asshole."

Tony laughs and does so, resisting the urge to crawl in beside him. "Sleep well, yeah?"

"Is it possible not to in this bed?"

Tony shrugs. "I've never tried. Yell at me if you need anything."

When Tony has closed the door and is sitting back on the couch, he realizes that he's suddenly very bored. He's not going to sing, clean, _or_ masturbate, though, so—

As a stroke of luck, Loki's phone is lying out on the couch. It must have fallen out of his pocket when he was asleep. Tony snatches it up and goes straight to the contacts, grabbing up his phone as well so he can transfer stuff over. Loki doesn't have near as many contacts as Tony does, so it's easy to find all of Clint, Natasha, Thor, and…Amora? Why does Loki have _Amora's_ number? Maybe he just has all the names as the cheerleaders. Tony scrolls through everything to see that, yes, he has all of the seven names (it's odd to think that Loki's had Pepper's name all this time and they still managed to never meet each other), but he's also got the numbers of Skurge, Justin, Ivan, and Victor… Should Tony ask him about it when he wakes up, or would that be bad because it meant he was going through his phone?

Tony sighs, tossing the phone onto the other end of the couch. Maybe it doesn't matter. Maybe it does. Tony doesn't care enough right now.

**XxX**

_Saturday, October 5…_

By the time that Loki makes his way out of Tony's bedroom it's about six in the evening, and Tony is currently standing in front of one of his three "lab" tables with a bowl of Top Ramen beside him as he draws out a hard copy of the blueprints for the science fair project.

"Morning," he says around a mouthful of the noodles. "Hungry?"

"I am fucking _starving_," Loki growls, snatching up the bowl and instantly tipping it back to suck it into his mouth instead of using the fork.

"I can make more if you want," Tony says. "The stove is upstairs, though."

"I'll just raid your fridge," he says, wiping his chin with his sleeve as he goes over and opens it up. "Wow," he says. "You've got everything. It's almost like you live by yourself."

Tony shrugs, looking around for his pencil before he remembers that it's behind his ear. "That's how it's supposed to be," he says. "My dad made it that way, and he makes sure that my mom makes sure I'm always stocked up with everything so I don't need to go upstairs. They're not here right now, though, so I went up to use the stove."

Loki nods, grabbing out a watermelon that's been cut in half. Tony already ate the other half. "Tell me about your mom."

Tony frowns. "Why?"

"Or your dad, or your uncle or your family in general. I don't care. I'll tell you about mine next, if you want."

Tony sighs, grabbing up his ruler. "My dad is named Howard, and my mom is Maria. Howard is mostly out on business trips since he owns a multi-billion dollar company, and that's half the reason that he's given me the entire basement. He's got business partners or just rich friends over here all the time, which means he doesn't want me around unless it's the sort of party that I need to walk around in a suit and pretend that I give a shit. He's got this one guy working for him, named Obadiah Stane, that I do like, though. He's funny and doesn't treat me like a piece of gum on the bottom of his shoe." He almost breaks his pencil at that, but he takes a deep breath and keeps working softer. "Maria tries to only be around when he's out on business trips, but if he's here she goes out with her friends to get her hair done and smoke those fancy cigarettes that women used to use. My dad drinks a lot, too, but I make sure I don't come out of here for days if that's the case.

"They met in rehab, actually. They did heroin in high school and decided they'd be better off not doing it. I'm not sure if they were in love when they actually got married, but they at least were at one point, and…" He shrugs. "I don't know, they mostly just hate each other now. Howard went to four years of college, but Maria just went to work as a seamstress—a real seamstress, I mean. None of this prostitution shit. Anyway, the stories I've heard about their days as heroin addicts is the reason that I'm against drugs. I mean, hey, if someone wants to get high on weed or drunk, that's fine, but if they're going to do something that actually has a high risk for killing them from an overdose, there's an almost zero chance of my being friends with them. Waste of money, too."

He looks up at Loki, who's nodding as he cuts up the watermelon at the small counter beside the fridge. That's when Tony remembers that Loki has the five druggies in his contacts. "So, uh, what are your views on drugs?"

Loki shrugs, putting the slices on a plate and bringing it over to stand beside Tony. "To each their own, you know? If a friend of mine wants to do drugs, I'll let them, but I'm certainly not going to bail them out of any tight spots or give them money to buy more. They're on their own for that."

Tony nods, taking a slice. "That's a good outlook on it, too. You know about Amora and her 'business', obviously. Do you actually get along with her, or is she just too good a cheerleader to kick off?"

Loki sighs. "Sometimes she's actually okay, you know? Any of the other six will tell you that. But she's got her moments of bitchiness, plus the one time she came to practice high. Darcy beat her up so she wouldn't do it again. It was funny."

Tony snorts. "I wish I was there for that. I really don't like her. What do you think about her friends?"

Loki buzzes his lips in thought. "Wow, I don't know. Skurge is a great football player, but he's actually really quiet because he lets Amora do all the talking for them. Ivan is good, too, but it's hard to understand him sometimes, and he's always talking in Russian even though Natasha is the only other one in the school who can understand it. His tattoos are weird, too. Justin is, ah…okay I guess, but he's twice as narcissistic as you, and his need to be the center of attention is always clashing with Amora's. Victor has a thing for wearing his hockey mask around all the time, but at least he's not as annoying as the other four. He's nice, actually. To be honest I'm not really sure if he _belongs_ in their group, but he must have gotten into something or another that Amora's got and couldn't leave because nobody else would want him." He shrugs. "That's what I think."

Tony blinks at him. "You seem to know them pretty well."

"I've hung out with them a couple of times; once before I knew they did any drugs, and a second time when they offered me a cigarette—before you ask, yes, I took it, so sue me. I'm pretty sure that they were trying to wrangle me in to be their sixth 'member', really… It didn't happen, obviously. Thor made sure of it. Good thing, too. I doubt it would have worked out well. I still have their numbers so I can ignore them. Justin still calls or texts me sometimes to come and hang out with them. This was all just over the summer, after all."

Tony nods, glad to hear all that. "You brother is annoying sometimes, but I'm thankful for that." He sets down his watermelon rim. "Tell me about your family, then."

Loki sighs, leaning against the table as he eats. "I have no idea how my parents met or what they did before Thor and I were born, to be honest, but their names are Odin and Frigga. Yes, his name is Odin Odinson, the poor man. He owns Asgard and Co., which… You know, I don't actually know what it does. I know more about your company than my own." He laughs. "He's around a lot more since his business is smaller, but he mostly just sits around watching TV or working on business crap in his room. My mother is one of those stay at home kinds, so she does a lot of cleaning, cooking, and reading. She may also be writing a book, but I'm not sure. She's the nicest woman that you'll ever meet, which I've already explained can sometimes be a bad thing. Thor is…" He laughs. "Let's not talk about Thor. We have a bunch of extended family too, really. Baldur is our half-brother—from a different mom—and then there's five that are somehow more closely related to me than anyone else in my immediate family named Sleipnir, Jörmungandr, Fenrir, Hela, and Leah, and… Well, those are the important ones, really. They're the only five that I hang around during family gathers. It's very boring, really."

"Yeah, I suppose," Tony says with a nod. "I don't have any extended family. We might have used to, but just fell out of touch."

Loki nods in turn. "At least we have something in common, though. We don't like anyone that lives in the same house as us."

Tony sighs. "No. No, we don't."


	4. The Truth and its Lie

[Chapter summary: In which Loki runs away, Tony breaks out his computer hacking skills, and the Jacuzzi is not forgotten.]

**4: The Truth and its Lie**

"_These lies are leading me astray  
It's too much for me to stay.  
I don't want to live this destiny  
It goes on endlessly."_  
—This Love, This Hate by Hollywood Undead—

"_I keep on screaming  
But there's really nothing left to say.  
I keep on fighting  
But I can't keep going on this way."  
_—Sell Your Soul by Hollywood Undead—

_Monday, October 7…_

Tony finally took Loki home at about eight, all normal looking like Friday and Saturday went how any other day would, without blowjobs and virginity loss and a shower. Tony had to let that thought sink in for a moment… He had taken Loki's virginity. Really? He knew, he just hasn't fully recognized it yet.

Tony spent Sunday on his own, realizing with a groan that he got the numbers of Loki's friends but not _his_ number. That was okay, though, because Loki texted him later about getting Tony's from Pepper.

Back at school on Monday, Loki texts Tony to come sit with him, Clint, Natasha, and Thor in the cafeteria, and Tony gives a raised eyebrow when he sees that his own three friends are there as well—plus Peggy sitting beside Steve, which makes Tony just grin.

"So, are you guys dating or just friends now?" he asks, plunking down between Loki and Bruce.

"We're, ah, getting there," Steve says.

"The same could be asked of _you_ two, though," Peggy says to him and Loki in her English accent. Steve, the ultimate patriot, _would_ fall for a Brit.

Tony and Loki snicker. "Uh," Tony says. "We're more—"

"No, we're dating," Loki says, followed by a swift glare to Thor. "And I swear, if you even _think_ about telling father, I will _level_ you."

Thor sighs, looking down at his hands. "I was not going to."

Loki snorts. "What, promised Jane you wouldn't?"

"Don't be rude, Loki," said senior says, appearing out of nowhere. "It certainly wasn't _easy_. Your brother is almost as stubborn as you are."

Loki scoffs. "No one is almost as stubborn as I am."

"Tony is," Pepper says. "I wish you luck."

"Wait, wait, wait," Clint says, un-slinging his arm from Natasha's shoulder. Loki said they're not dating, but Tony really can't tell. "I thought you guys were just going for the Fandral-W-Bruce thing. When did actual dating happen?"

"After Thor got protective," Tony says.

Thor narrows his eyes slightly.

Tony rolls his. "Don't give me that look, you totally were."

Loki gives a small smile, but Bruce speaks before he can:

"No, wait, I'm confused too. Are you trying to keep it a secret? Because there were a total of twenty-five people at the roller rink last night when you kissed, and that's not very secretive…"

Tony grimaces a little, and Loki sighs. "Uh, we are now," Tony says. "Just…try and keep it low, yeah? Don't mention it unless anyone else does, and if somebody asks, deny it or claim that you don't know."

"Yes, a secret now," Loki says. "My father's a bit of a douche, so…" He shrugs.

Thor frowns. "No he is not, Loki. Just because you two do not get along does not mean that—"

"Don't lecture me, Thor," Loki mutters. "You know I never listen to you when you do."

Thor sighs. "Yes, but I like it best when you at least pretend."

Jane eventually gets the brothers to shut up, and then the day is pretty boring. Tony doesn't get any more looks than he usually does, and nobody asks him what he did over the weekend. Tony's response would have been something along the lines of "you mean _who_ did I do over the weekend" and then not telling anybody who, so…it's probably best that nobody did.

"Are you doing anything today?" Tony asks Loki as they're walking out of school to Thor's big ass red truck. Loki himself doesn't have a car because his job and school are close enough that he just bikes a lot, but Thor has one because he works out in the middle of nowhere and his dad lost a bet or something.

"We just got an essay today that's due tomorrow," Loki says, "but I could probably put it off till tomorrow morning if you want to do something."

Tony breathes a laugh. "No, that's fine. I don't really have a plan; I just thought we could play a video game or something equally boring. I'm not sure what you play or even if you play, but I've got at least three of everything."

Loki grins. "Would that idea still stand for tomorrow?"

"Of course."

"I'll come over tomorrow, then."

Tony nods. "Sounds good."

Loki starts to crawl into Thor's car (he's got his own key; he has his license an' all, he just doesn't have a car to use it with), but about halfway in he drops back down, still holding onto the door handle to lean back and look at Tony.

"You could, ah, come over to my place if you want… I doubt it would be any fun watching me write an essay, but I do in fact play video games, so I do have some over at my place. Just an X-Box, though."

Tony smiles bright. "Yeah, that'd be great too."

Loki nods, standing up straight and pulling out his phone. "I'll warn my mom."

By the time that Thor comes out about ten minutes after school got out, Loki is only just hanging out.

"Ugh," he mutters. "Yes, you can come over. She just wanted to make sure that you weren't one of Amora's friends. She doesn't like them and she doesn't even know about the drugs."

Tony snorts. "I like your mom already."

"Hey, Thor," Loki says as they're walking away from the truck to Tony's car. "Tony's coming over, so I'm riding with him. Don't be a dick to him or I'll tell Jane."

Thor wrinkles his nose up a bit. "It is alright that he is coming over, brother, I just do not like the idea of you growing up."

"You're barely a year older than I am, imbecile. Get over it."

"Geez," Tony says as they swing into his car. "Thor's cool sometimes, but he is seriously going to get on my nerves."

"Be glad you don't have to live with him," Loki mutters.

Tony parks on the road by Loki's house, having followed Thor the entire way.

Loki takes a deep breath as they get out, pushing his hair out of his eyes. Why he wears it to his shoulders is unknown to Tony, but it sure does look good. "I'm warning you now that both of my parents are probably going to be in the living room to make it subtle that they want to meet you, so… We're just friends. No pressure."

Tony nods, locking his car. "Yeah, no pressure, sure."

Thor takes longer to get out of his truck, so Tony and Loki enter the house without him. Just like Loki said, both of his parents are sitting in the living room. Odin looks very regal in his suit, but the scruffy white beard and long hair sort of takes that away. He's also got a golden eye patch, which just reminds Tony of what Loki said about his thinking he was god. His suit reminds Tony of his own dad, though, and he instantly feels a pang of grief for whatever Loki has to go through some days. Frigga looks much more like a mother, with her light brown hair curled as she sits with a thick looking book in a casual dress of light gold and white. She doesn't look much anything like Tony's own mom… Maria is very into the fashions of today, she's always got a cigarette, and she portrays more of the idea that she'd rather get her fingers bitten off than participate in a family game night.

"Ah, there's my boy!" Frigga says, setting down her book to get up and hugging Loki tight.

Tough as Loki sometimes acts, he gives Tony a pointed look before hugging her back.

"How was school?" she asks, kissing his forehead.

"The same as usual," Loki says, rubbing her lipstick off. "Remember Tony, the one I stayed over with?"

She gives Tony a bright smile. "Ah yes, the Stark son!" (Tony forces himself not to frown at that. Even his boyfriend's parents know him by his father. Wonderful.) "It's so lovely to meet you, Tony."

Tony shakes her hand as she holds it out, giving her the same smile back. "The pleasure's all mine, ma'am."

"Oh, please," she says, flitting a wrist. "Call me Frigga, or at the very least Mrs. Odinson. Ma'am is so boring." She turns back to Odin, who's giving them all a gruff look. "And over there, the stone on the couch, is my husband. His name is Odin, but I'm sure he prefers Mr. Odinson. I'm quite sure that your fathers have done some work together, even."

Odin nods, setting down the TV remote before standing. "Yes, I've met Howard many a time." He holds his hand out. "It's nice to meet you, Tony. I've heard much about your grades and science fair trophies from your father."

Tony gives him a surprised look as he shakes his hand. "I—really? I mean, of course, ah, yes, straight A's and the winner every year, yes. Thank you." Howard talks about him? Howard talks about what he's _good_ at, no less? Maybe he was just showing off… Yeah, definitely just that.

"Alright, alright, don't hold your breath," Loki says, rolling his eyes. "The introductory of my new friend is done; you can back to what you all do best."

"Don't be rude, darling," Frigga says, going back into the living room. "It's so unbecoming of you."

"Yes, of course, sorry." He goes back over to the front door and swings it open. "You can come in now, you big wimp," Loki calls.

Thor gets out of his truck then, coming in.

Loki slams the door. "Idiot," he mutters.

Tony cocks an eyebrow. "He was waiting for that to be over?"

"He was here when they met Justin and it didn't go well." Then, in a lower voice: "He's very open about his sexual orientation."

Tony cringes slightly. "Right, I forgot about that trait about him."

"Yes, I figured. Come on, my room's upstairs."

Loki's bedroom is…well, somewhat childish. His rug is white, but his walls are light blue with fluffy clouds, which reminds Tony of Andy's bedroom in Toy Story. His bedspread matches the walls with the light blue and white color scheme, there's a large chest at the end of the bed, and on the headboard/shelf at the top of the bed there sits an empty picture frame. He's got two dressers (one very long and one almost taller than Tony's), a night stand beside the bed, a shelf to the right of the door filled with random things and books, and then a window is shoved back into the corner between the long dresser and the nightstand.

"No making fun of it," Loki says, shutting the door and locking it. No wonder he was more comfortable with Tony's door being locked if he even locks his own. "I haven't redone it since I was ten or eleven."

Tony can't help it: "Were you obsessed with Toy Story at that time?"

Loki rolls his eyes, pushing him over to the bed. "No, I was obsessed with flying. I've always wanted to escape, and flying is the best way to do it."

Tony frowns even though Loki is crawling on to straddle his waist. "You hated this life even when you were in fifth grade?"

"Did you like _your_ father when you were in fifth grade?"

Tony nods. "Good point."

"Precisely. Now, stop talking. We have about ten minutes before Thor knocks to ask if he can play video games with you."

"Wait, wait, should I say yes?"

"I would if you ever want to get on his good side."

Loki kisses him before Tony can answer, and just under ten minutes later (Tony knows because Loki sighs and says something about "he's early" as he crawls off of him) there's a knock on the door. Loki swings over and opens the door, asking Thor what he wants.

Thor grins brightly, though Tony can see the hesitance behind it. "I was wondering if Tony would like to play Bioshock with me while you write your essay!"

Tony grins. He loves Bioshock. Who doesn't love splattering zombies around? "Definitely!"

"Wonderful!"

Loki has to keep shushing them as they play in his room (apparently he has the best TV), but Tony does turn back every once in a while to see the smile that Loki is sometimes giving them. Maybe he doesn't get along with Thor, but they are brothers, and who wouldn't be happy that their boyfriend is getting along with their overprotective brother?

After who knows how long, all three of Tony, Loki, and Thor look at the door when they heard loud yelling between Odin and Frigga. After a few more minutes of 'ignoring' it, though, Frigga calls to Loki.

Loki frowns. "But they liked you!" he growls, throwing his papers aside and swinging out of the room to get downstairs.

Tony wants to sneak out and listen, but Thor is there, and he just shrugs and keeps playing, so Tony is forced to as well. They're seriously up there for at least ten minutes, Loki yelling back at his parents for the last two or three. About then, though, the front door slams shut.

_Now_ Thor pauses the game, glaring at Loki's open door. "That was my brother," he says.

Tony cocks an eyebrow. "How can you tell?"

"My family members slam doors very often. It is not hard to know which one is doing it after hearing it so many times. It is like knowing who is coming down the stairs by the thump of their footprints."

Tony leaps up at that, going as calmly down the stairs as he can. Odin is nowhere in sight, but Frigga is standing as still as a stone, the remnants of tears in her eyes. "Mrs. Odinson?" Tony says quietly. "I know I shouldn't be intruding, but Loki—"

She whispers something, cutting him off.

Tony swallows. "I'm sorry, could you repeat that?"

She looks over at him, and it's impossible not to see the pain in her expression now that their eyes are locked. "Loki is adopted. Odin didn't want to tell him, but he deserves to know. He's graduating soon… I wish he had found out quieter."

Tony can't help but let his eyes widen. Loki is…what? Tony noticed how different he looked compared to Thor and his parents, but he _never_ considered that he was… "Adopted?" he whispers. "When?"

"He was only seven months old. He's gotten so big now…"

Tony nods, not knowing what to say. He hasn't even known Loki a week and suddenly there's a life changing crisis. Tony isn't in too deep, so he should just run. He can deal with emotional problems that he has similar ones to, but _adoption_? Tony should just run. He shouldn't try to help; he'll just mess everything up, or worse, fall deeper. Tony can't fall in love, it'll tie him down, and it'll… "Do you know where he would have gone?" he finds himself asking.

She lets out a choked sort of laugh that breaks Tony's heart. "I have no idea. I never know anymore. He's so distant from us all, thanks to his father. Or his adopted father, really…" She drops her head into her hands, and Tony has literally no idea what to do as she starts crying.

Thankfully Thor is suddenly there, though, to hold her tight. He points at the door for Tony, and Tony nods fervently before all but sprinting out. He yanks out his phone and dials Loki's number, hoping that he'll answ—

"Hi, you've reached Loki. please leave your name in case I don't have your number so I can keep it and avoid you easier. Thanks. Bye!"

Tony swears and dials again…again… And on the fifth time, he hears a noise. He drops his phone from his hear and follows the noise to the back of the house, where Loki is sitting with his phone pushed about three feet away from him.

Tony hangs up and swallows. "Hey," he whispers.

"I know you're just trying to help," Loki says just as quiet, "but I would really rather be alone right now."

Tony knows that tone. He's got it rather often, and when Steve ignores him it makes him want to beat him with a wrench. "You're sure?" he asks.

"Yes, please. Don't tell anyone where I am, either. My parents"—(his voice cracks on that word)—"are leaving for a trip soon, and Thor will eventually leave. I'll, uh…call you later, okay?"

Tony nods. "Whenever you're ready," he says, backing away.

Loki just nods, so Tony retreats, making sure that he's not seen through the windows. He drives straight to his house, wherein he all but sprints into his basement to hop to work on his computer. He's backed into things before, but never adoptions. This should be fun.

Tony doesn't know how many hours he's sitting there, but it's probably a long time if his bowl of popcorn has anything to say for it. Like Frigga said, Loki was only seven months old when he was adopted. His parents were Laufey and Farbauti Laufeyson, which is hilarious considering how similar the last name is to Odinson. Maybe that's how they met? No matter. Farbauti died about an hour after Loki's birth, and his dad is… Wow, another business man. Loki would probably even more miserable with only a father… At least with Thor he had someone to play with as a child. Laufey owns Jotun and Heim, plus a smaller ice making company called Frost Giants Ice Incorporation. He's the second most successful compared to the Stark's and Odinson's, Tony's family being the most. They're all high up there, though, so it doesn't much matter.

Tony doesn't know what to do after that, and Loki hasn't called him yet, so he sets to work on his own essay that's due on Friday.

About halfway through it, though, his default ringtone goes off. Loki's song is Flo Rida's "Whistle", because he can't. It's Natasha's number, though, which is half expected under the circumstances.

"Hello?"

"Tony?"

"Yup, hi."

"It's Natasha."

"I'm aware. What's up?"

"Your boyfriend is being a dick."

Tony frowns. "Do you even know what happened?"

"Yeah, Thor called me. Get the fuck over to his place, would you? Thor is out with Jane and his parents left for a business trip. Thor says that Frigga told Loki before they left so he would have the rest of the week to grapple with how much he hates them for not telling him about it earlier. They're coming back on Sunday.

Tony sighs. "I know he's my boyfriend an' all, but he told me that he wanted to be alone, so—"

"Oh, is that why he won't let me into his house because Amora and her backup dancers are over?"

Tony narrows his eyes. "I'll be right over?"

"Cool, because Clint and I have a date. Bye."

"Wait, are you—?"

But she hangs up anyway, so Tony will continue to be confused about her relationship with Loki's best friend. He prints out Loki's birth certificate before hopping to it again, back to Loki's house. It's a good thing that Howard gives him money for gas and food and things.

There's a truck so big that's it's probably only one tire size away form being a monster truck, with a _very_ custom paint job. There are axes, weird magic lights, a few hammers, a weird helmet, and a white and yellow bird. What, do all five of them share the truck or something? That is weird.

Tony goes up to the front door of Loki's place as quickly as he can. "Loki!" he yells, knocking loudly. "Loki, it's Tony, let me in!"

The mail slot opens in the door. "Entry by password only!" a Russian accent growls.

Tony narrows his eyes. He knows that voice. Ivan Vanko.

"I have a gun, asshole," Tony lies with a growl.

Ivan laughs. "Wrong password."

The mail slot shuts, but Tony just squats down so he can open it back up and peek inside.

"Don't drop that," Justin says, his torso moving right behind Loki's. He can only see from about the stomach and down.

Tony's boyfriend whirls around shoves him away, though, which makes Tony smile. "Back _off_, Justin." He gives an aggravated sigh. "Ivan, who was at the door?"

"I don't know," Ivan replies, "but _he_ didn't have the password either."

Loki snorts. "Doesn't anybody watch Recess?"

Tony has no idea what that means, but he's sure as hell not going to let it stop him: "Loki, dammit, open up _now_!"

Loki now whirls towards the door. "_Shit_," he breathes. "Everybody into my room, _now_. If you break anything I'll kill you."

Five people run passed Loki towards the stairs that lead up to his room, and when the magician takes a deep breath, Tony stands up. The door is opened a moment later, with—

"Loki, shit," Tony says, staring up at his black eye. "Did you get in a fight?"

Loki sighs angrily. "My knee and a door, actually. I came inside when everyone was gone and was deciding what to break, but instead I ran into a door and slammed my knee into my eye when I bent over from my bloody nose."

Tony starts to apologize, but that's when he notices the cigarette in his hands. "You're _smoking_ now?"

Loki shrugs, pushing his hair out of his eyes. "Just one."

Tony snatches out away and pulls in a drug, "Yup," he says, glaring at it. "Still gross and still bad for you" He drops it down and steps on it.

Loki mashes his lips together and crosses his arms, but he doesn't say anything.

Tony sighs, reaching out to pull him into his arms. He doesn't much care if anyone sees; Loki needs him right now. "I know you're upset, Lo', but is this really the way to go about it? Smoking and drinking?"

Loki frowns. "How would _you_ go about it?"

"I'd suck it up and ignore it. We deal with things differently, but I'm not going to let you hang out with _them_" He points into the house to refer to the five druggies. "I can deal with cigarettes and whatever booze is on the floor over there, but I am _not_ going to let you get into heroine or meth or something—and don't give me that look, I know what Amora carries around. I'm _not_ going to date a drug addict, Lo'. You _know_ my feelings about them. _Please_ don't start this…"

Loki pouts out his bottom lip and drops his forehead to Tony's shoulder. "My parents have always treated me so different," he whispers. "Now I know why. Thor never did because he didn't know either."

"It's okay, babe," Tony whispers, holding him tight. "I'm here."

Right about then, Justin peeks down from the stairs, eyes narrowed. "So _that's_ why you don't want to make out!" he says.

Tony glares back, and Loki sighs before letting go to turn around. "Jus', go get the others down here, would you?"

"Anything for you, babe," he says, winking before disappearing again.

Tony laughs. "Wow,' he says, moving to go and sit on the couch so he's not in anyone's way as they leave. "I thought I didn't like him be_fore_."

Loki rolls his eyes. "He's not so bad if you can ignore him."

The five come down about then, laughing about something or another.

"Loki, wow," Amora says, pulling in a drag from something that is _not_ a cigarette but also smells completely different than weed. "It looks like you haven't redone your room since you were _eight_."

"It was a better time," Loki says quietly. "Anyway, I, uh… I need you guys to leave."

They all start to protest, but Victor's is the loudest: "But you _invited_ us here!"

"Yeah, and now I'm kicking you out," Loki mutters. "Go." He points to the still open door. "Now."

It takes a few more seconds, but they all eventually make their way out. Ivan has to physically drag Justin as he stares longingly after Loki, quick saying as he goes, "He's not good for you, babe. You shouldn't date someone who's going to control what you do."

Loki just blatantly ignores him, though, which Tony would not have been able to do. He finally goes over and sits down beside Tony after slamming the door shut, leaning heavily against his side.

"Can you promise me something?" he asks quietly.

"Possibly."

"Promise me that you won't do any of Amora's drugs, okay? I mean, at least while we're dating, because I can't control you if we're not. I'm not trying to control you now, but you're already hurting, and I don't want you to make it worse."

Loki lets out a huge sigh. "Yeah, I guess I could promise that."

"Good."

They sit in silence for a while, until Loki breaks it: "I don't know what to do," he whispers.

Tony drapes an arm over his shoulder. "Anything, really," he says. "A jog or video games… Or, hey, you could even ask me questions about your real parents, because I may or may not have hacked into a few things."

Loki raises both eyebrows. "You did? Why?"

"Just because it's your story doesn't mean I don't want to know it. Maybe I shouldn't have, but I didn't really think about what your reaction would be. Should I not ha—"

Loki kisses him. "No, it's fine," he breathes. "Tell me everything."

Tony smiles and does. Anything to make him happy after such a shitty afternoon/evening. "I think you're better off here, actually," he says when he's finished.

Loki stares up at the ceiling for a while, taking it all in. "Maybe," he says at length. "We'll never know."

"No, I suppose not."

Loki looks back at him eventually, a sly smirk on his face. "Know what we can do so I forget all about this for a while?"

Tony cocks an eyebrow. "What?"

"Odin and Frigga have a Jacuzzi in the master bathroom, and I have always wanted to have sex in a hot tub."

Instead of commenting on the fact that Loki is now referring to his legal parents by their first names, Tony grins. "I've done it once, and I would _love_ to do it with you."

"I figured you would. Let me call Thor to make sure he doesn't come home."

"Yeah, and I'll call Natasha."

Loki frowns in mid-dial. "What for?"

"Who do you think called me over here?"

He groans. "She is going to _kill_ me tomorrow."

When their calls are over, Loki takes Tony's hand and leads him upstairs. They grab towels and things before Loki locks the bathroom door, and then goes to get the water going.

"A lot of people have kissed me without my being ready for it," Tony says as they undress, "but _your_ kiss was by far the one I'm most thankful for."

Loki grins and shuts the water off, not so high that it will slosh over the edge. "I had no idea what was going to happen, honestly. Could you tell how nervous I was?"

Tony cocks an eyebrow as he grabs up a condom and tosses it on the other side of the Jacuzzi, crawling in to sit down on the little bench on the other side. It's hardly even a Jacuzzi, but more a literal hot tub in the bathroom. "You were?"

Loki laughs, going in after him. "Yes. It's nice to know how good of an actor I am."

He goes right over to sit on Tony's lap, facing away so he can drape himself back and rest his head on Tony's shoulder. He reaches his arms up and wraps them around Tony's neck, pulling him in for a kiss. Tony kisses him back deep as he slides one hand down Loki's side and hip and in between his legs. He breathes a moan as Tony pumps him under the water, the pressure of his kissing building with the pleasure.

"Ahh, stop," he says, pushing Tony's hand away. "I want you inside of me."

Tony nods as Loki turns around to straddle him, eyes black. Water is certainly not Tony's favorite stand-in to lube, but he reaches around to stretch him anyway.

"Fuck," he whispers as Loki is moaning into his ear. "You're going to be the death of me, Lo'. Those moans…"

Loki's response is another moan just like the one before it. "Gods, Tony, I want you," he breathes. "Fuck me, _please_."

Tony nods, pulling away his fingers. "The condom, I have to—"

Loki stands first before pulling him up, grabbing the wrapped and tearing it open, and then he pumps Tony until he's like stone before rolling it on for him. The moment that Tony is sitting back down, holding his cock up, Loki goes back down as well, sinking all the way down in one go.

"Fuck," Tony says, holding tight to Loki's hips to help him fuck himself on Tony's cock. "You feel so fucking good," he manages to choke out. "I am so glad you suggested this."

"What can I say?" Loki says huskily, his breath coming heavy. "I like your cock."

Tony wants Loki to come at the same time that he does, so when he's close he puts his hand back and pumps him in rhythm. Loki kisses him when they do, each of them swallows the moans of the other.

"Know what?" Loki asks as their breathing slows.

"What?" Tony breathes back.

"I think we should do this position more often."

Tony laughs and kisses him. "Maybe we'll switch spots next time."

"Mmm, yeah…"

They kiss languidly for a while, and Tony eventually realizes that he's getting hard again. "The water is cold," he says.

"You're right," Loki says.

They get out, cleaning everything up and drying it all off before heading back to Loki's room, clothes in hand instead of on.

"Hey, Tone?" Loki says as he locks the door.

"Mmm?"

Loki tilts back in such a way that he's almost look at Tony upside down. "Will you rim me again?"

Tony grins. Of all the guys that could have kissed him, he certainly got the best.

* * *

References: _Loki snorts. "Doesn't anybody watch Recess?"_  
Okay so there was this one episode of Recess where the main six (I'm pretty sure it's six; it's been ages since I've actually watches that show) are trying to get into this place that you have to have a password to, and the password ends up being "swordfish". It's never really explained in the story, but that's always what Loki chooses as his passwords because he used to watch that show a lot.


	5. Crack Dealers and Three-Ways

[Chapter summary: In which Tony is semi-blown off because promises are broken, sleeping in cars is _not_ comfortable, and Natasha and Clint's favorite colors are red, black, and purple.

**5: Crack Dealers and Three-Ways**

"_I tried to be perfect  
Tried to be honest  
Tried to be everything that you ever wanted."  
_—Everything You Have Ever Wanted by Hawk Nelson—

_4 Days Later  
Friday, October 12…_

Loki's parents (Tony still refers to them as such even though Loki calls them by their first name; they legally adopted him, which means they're legally his parents, so) are coming back sometime during Sunday, but for some reason Loki seems to be exceedingly happier than he has been in the last few days when Tony sees him in the cafeteria before school starts.

"Do you know what today is?" he asks, leaning in really close to Tony and sticking his tongue out to dot it against the tip of his nose.

"Ugh, wet," he says, wiping the spit off with his sleeve. "And no, I don't."

Loki grins. "It's our one week friendship anniversary!"

Tony blinks at him for a few seconds, his eyelid twitching. "Please tell me you're not one of those creep girlfriends that's going to window marker my car with how much you love me."

Loki snorts. "Definitely not. I just wanted an excuse for going to see a movie with you."

Tony laughs. "You could have just asked, stupid."

Loki just shrugs. "I looked up what's playing this morning and I chose my top three: The House at the End of the Street—which is a horror movie with Jennifer Lawrence—and Hotel Transylvania-which is an animated 'monster' movie with one of the main characters voiced by Adam Sandler—and Taken two—with Liam Neeson, who is gorgeous—came out four days ago.

Tony pouts out his bottom lip. "Jennifer Lawrence is hot, I've seen the trailer for Hotel Transylvania, and I loved the first Taken. Can't we see them all?"

Loki gives a good natured eye roll. "Pick one, love."

"Erm… The one that's the least romantic? You know, for the sake of appearances."

Loki laughs. "Taken two it is!"

Tony grins. "What time do you want to go?"

"The seven-thirty time. It gives me time to shove some food into my face."

Tony nods. "I'll pick you up at seven, then?"

"That sounds _wonderful_."

**XxX**

_Friday, October 12…_

Tony leaves his house as fast as he can at six-forty. He's going to be early, but he knows that Loki won't care. If he stays in his house one second longer he's going to explode. He is _sick_ of the fights that his parents are always having. _Just get a fucking divorce already_, he thinks. _It's certainly not going to bother ME, and it's not like you'd care if it did!_

His mood is cleared up a bit when he pulls onto Loki's street, but it plummets a bit—okay, a _lot_ when he sees the big, ugly monster truck is parked out there as well. But…Loki promised! Well, he promised not to do the drugs, anyway. He didn't promise not to hang out with any of their five in general since Tony didn't ask him to (not that he would, either; not letting him do drugs is one thing, but choosing his friends is too much).

He quick swings out of his car and goes up to the door, knocking loudly against the door. He's not at all surprised when Loki opens the door, but he is surprised that Loki isn't wearing a shirt and that there's a cigarette between his fingers.

Tony frowns. "Uh…did you change your mind about the movie?" he asks.

Loki tilts his head slightly. "Movie?"

Now Tony glares a little. Loki couldn't have forgotten. He was so excited about it… "Taken two? With gorgeous Liam Neeson?"

Loki looks confused for a second, then: "Oh shit. Yeah, I do remember. Kind of. Maybe. Yeah, a bit. Um, when does it start?"

"About half an hour…" He sighs. "You really don't remember?"

"Remember what?—no, wait, the movie, right. No, I don't remember. 'Ora said she put something in my drink earlier, but…" He squeezes his eyes shut and presses his palm against his forehead, as if trying to expel the memory. "I might have taken something before that. I don't remember."

Tony blinks at him. Loki broke his promise. It's bad enough, but two _days_ after he made the promise in the first place? He may or may not have taken something before Amora slipped whatever into his drink, though, which means it may have been something that made him forget the promise in the first place.

He sighs. "You know what?" he says as calmly as he can. "Maybe I should just bring Bruce to the movie."

Loki shakes his head and grabs his hand to pull him inside. There's smoke from all sorts of things lingering around, and Tony plugs his nose from the smell. "No, no, I'll go, I'll go. Come on, come help me get dressed."

Tony sighs and lets him get pulled along even though they're just going to be late. They make their way through a clump of five people that Tony can hardly make out due to the fact that there are no lights on, but he knows that it's the five druggies. He can kind of make out Amora's hair on top of the body of…Skurge? Yeah, that's Skurge.

"Lookiii…" a voice whines, and they stop when a hand latches onto the ankle of Tony's boyfriend. "You can't leeave me…"

"Jus', I gotta," Loki says, shaking Justin off of him. "I gotta date."

"A date? But you're with me!"

"I am not, Jus'; let go."

Once Justin is off they continue on, ending up in Loki's bedroom. "Should I change my pants?" he asks.

"No," Tony says, looking down at Loki's black skinny jeans. "Just throw on a shirt."

Loki pouts out his bottom lip. "I have lots of those."

"Put on the green one you were wearing earlier. You know, the one with the weird helmet on it."

Loki massages a temple as he pulls in a drag on his cigarette. "If I can find it."

"Give me that," Tony says, snatching the cigarette away and dropping it into a nearby glass with water still in it. "I'll mutter at you for that later, when you'll remember it. Do you _know_ what else you took?"

Loki shrugs, pulling on not the green shirt, but a purple one. "'Ora said something that had an E in it, I think. You could ask her."

"I'm not giving that bitch the time of day." He grabs the bronze sweatshirt that Loki is always wearing and tucks it under his arm before grabbing Loki's wallet from where he keeps it under his pillow and pushes it into his boyfriends back pocket.

Loki grins, holding Tony's hand there. "We could just stay here."

"Loki, you don't even remember what drugs you took. Come on, let's go. Please?"

Loki sighs (his breath smells disgusting), taking his hand and pulling him back towards the front door. He has to shake Justin off of him again and he says something that Tony can't make out to Ivan, but eventually they make it out to Tony's car. Tony crawls straight into the back seat, leaning against the door and spreading his legs slightly for a spot for Loki.

The magician doesn't even question the fact that nobody is in the drivers seat as he crawls in behind him, curling himself up to lay on Tony's lap.

"I'm hungry," he mumbles against Tony's leg.

"You can eat soon," Tony says, rubbing lightly at his back.

Just as Tony planned, Loki is fast asleep in a few minutes. Tony sighs, twirling a lock of black hair as he dials up Thor on his cell phone.

"Greetings, Tony," Thor says when he answers. "Are you and my brother behaving properly on your night out?"

Tony sighs again, looking down at said brother. "Well…I am, anyway. You know how your parents aren't coming back until tomorrow?"

Thor sighs as well. "I am with Jane and Natasha. I thought that he would be alright if I left him at home by himself for a few hours. What happened, precisely?"

"Let's just say that he invited Amora and her cronies over."

He hisses angrily. "They are not allowed over. Loki is the only one that occasional enjoys their company. Did he take anything?"

"Erm…yeah. I don't know what it is and he doesn't remember. Something weird. His memory is totally shot. Whatever it is, it better wear off by tomorrow."

"I know what it is. Put him to bed and he shall be fine once awoken."

"Already done." He gives an aggravated sigh. "Hey, I have a really awesome idea. When Loki seems like he's going to or has already had had a nervous breakdown or a crisis of sorts, you hang out with whoever at _your_ place."

Instead of Thor replying, Tony gets Natasha: "Yeah, good idea," she says. "Want us to go over there right now, even?"

"For Loki, no. He's asleep on my lap in the back of my car right now. To get the five bastards out of the house, though, yes."

"We'll be right over." She hangs up.

It's actually kind of funny to see Natasha physically kick people out in her pajamas and smash bongs into trash cans, but it's even funnier that Thor is just leaning against the side of the house and letting her do all of it by herself. It looks like Jane didn't come at all, but Tony can't see Thor's truck, so maybe she's just sitting inside.

"AND STAY AWAY!" she screeches, giving a last kick in the ass to Justin.

Natasha and Thor then make their way over to Tony's car, opening the two front doors and peeking in. "Blanket and pillow?" Natasha asks loudly.

Tony shushes her, but she waves him off before leaning back out and walking into the house.

"I thank you for thinking of him," Thor says, "but he will not wake no matter how loud we are. Trust me on this, my friend."

Tony sighs, looking down at him. "He said that Natasha put something in his drink, but he can't remember if he took something else before or after. He promised that he wouldn't take any of her drugs, and I'm not sure if he broke that or not since he doesn't remember the details."

Thor is silent for a moment. "You are good for him, Tony," he says quietly. "I am sorry if I frightened you before."

Tony chuckles. "It's alright, point break."

When Natasha comes back with a large blanket and a pillow, Thor goes inside and begins to air out the house.

"Word of advice," Natasha says, tucking the blanket around their legs. "Don't go off on him right when he wakes up. Let him realize how idiotic he was, _then_ agree with him. If you get mad right away he'll just do it again, but if you let it sink in he'll probably give it his all to keep Amora and her backup dancers away from him. Anyway…" She pushes her hair out of her eyes. "Think you'll fall asleep alright in that position?"

Tony snorts. "Not even a bit. I'll be taking naps all through tomorrow."

"You could just leave him in here by himself if you wanted. He deserves it after being such a dick lately. I don't care _if_ he just found out that he's adopted; it's not like he would have a better life with anyone else. Thor is good for him."

Tony sighs and shakes his head. "No, I can't leave him. I wouldn't even leave Clint after something like this. Well…maybe Clint."

"Hey now," she says around a somehow emotionless grin. "Watch what you're saying about my boyfriend there."

Tony frowns. "Okay, so you two _are_ dating? Loki said you're not."

She cocks an eyebrow. "Obviously Loki's been saying a lot of things lately. He's right, though. I just call him my boyfriend so nobody else takes him."

Tony wrinkles his nose up. "Why him, though? You're the head cheerleader. Why not Steve, Mr. Star Football Player?"

She snorts. "You think _Steve_ is my type? Yeah, right. I like Clint because he's perfect for me. We've known each other for a long time."

Tony nods, but he doesn't really care about it anymore now that he knows. "I'm hungry."

She shrugs and says, "Sucks for you," before closing the door and sauntering off.

Tony looks down at Loki with a light smile, tracing a finger over his jaw line. "One of these days," he whispers out loud, "she'll actually smile at me, and on that day, I hope you're there to make sure that I know she's actually just smiling at whoever's behind me."

Tony swears that Loki smiles in his sleep.

**XxX**

_Saturday, October 13…_

Tony does eventually fall asleep, but seeing that he's not in the most comfortable position ever he also wakes up a few hours before Loki. And when said boyfriend does wake up, the very first thing he does is breathe the word, "Shit."

He sits up slowly, pushing his fingers through his hair and then turning to look at Tony. He looks around after that, taking in where they are, and then back at Tony again.

"I messed up," he says, staring directly into Tony's eyes. "Shit. I messed up so bad I don't even know what I did."

Tony takes Natasha's advice and doesn't say anything. He just raises an eyebrow before stretching out of the horribly uncomfortable position.

"What did I do?" Loki asks quietly.

"Oh, you know," Tony says, pulling his wallet out of his back pocket and tossing it onto the driver's seat. That's been annoying him all night. "You possibly broke your promise and did Amora's drugs, but it's only possibly because you couldn't remember if you took something before or after she gave you something in a drink. If it was before, then yes, you broke it; if it was after, though, it probably just affected you to do it without really thinking about it. Oh, and you also may have cheated on me with Justin, but I doubt it. Even on whatever you were on you didn't seem to want him."

Loki groans, dropping his head down so that it lands about at Tony's knees. "Shit. Shit, shit." He leans back up. "They invited themselves over. I let slip my parents wouldn't be home tonight at cheer practice and they just…showed up. They brought all sorts of stuff with them. I didn't know what half of it even was. After my first cig…I don't remember a thing. Not because of it, but because of a few other things I was having at the same time. They didn't let me read any packages. Just told me it was good. I…shit." He drops his head down again. "I broke my promise. I took the drugs before the drink." He drags his hands down his face. "What happened when you showed up?"

"You didn't remember dinner _or_ the movie," Tony says, letting his anger show off some. "Your memory was completely shot for the night. I was going to leave because you lied and I didn't want to deal with it, but you pulled me inside anyway. Seriously, I came over to get _away_ from drama. My parents had been screaming at the top of their lungs when I left. I was hoping I'd forget about it with you, but fuck that. We went back to your room and you put on a shirt, talked about just staying in your room, told Justin to stop hitting on you, and when we got out into the car…well, you obviously had forgotten already what we were doing out here, because I just crawled right into the back seat and you came in after me and settled yourself down to sleep. I called your brother—"

Loki frowns. "You called _Thor_?"

Tony narrows his eyes slightly. "Don't you even think about getting angry at me, Loki. It's your own damn fault. I called Thor to come get your 'friends' out of the fucking house, and they're in there right now. They as in he and Natasha. She's the one who grabbed us a blanket and me a pillow."

Loki growls slightly. "I don't care _what_ I did, you had no right to call Thor like that! I'm not his brother! I never was!"

Okay, anger too early. Too late now. "He _is_ your brother, and I had every right to call him after you blew me off! You thought it'd be a good idea to take a bunch of drugs before you _knew_ that I was coming over? How idiotic!"

"HE'Steve NOT MY BROTHER."

"It doesn't matter if you're a _giant_ and he's a _king_, Loki—you _are_ brothers! You don't have to be related by blood to be someone's brother. Adoption means that you're _part of the family now_."

"Well I _refuse_ to be known as an—"

Tony doesn't care. He grabs the front of Loki's shirt and pulls him against him, bringing their lips together. Loki buries his hands in Tony's hair and kisses him back even harder, both of them bruising their lips. And then…well, Tony's not sure who changed it, but the kiss begins to soften out, and eventually it's slow and deep and Loki pulls back for air.

"You taste like smoke," Tony says, still angry.

Loki lets out a deep breath and drops his head to Tony's shoulder. "I'm sorry," he whispers. "I don't know what I was thinking. I legitimately don't remember."

"I understand that, but Lo'… If you say yes one more time, I'm not coming back."

Loki nods against his shoulder. "I know. I promise I won't. And I know my promises don't mean anything anymore, but I'll stop hanging out with them. Thor will always be around the house no, so when I'm not with you I'll force myself to let him watch out for me. I know I shouldn't get a second chance after putting you through all of that and everything beforehand…" He sighs. "I want to shrink into a ball and die."

"It's okay, Lo'. I know you're not doing it again. I'll make sure that—"

Loki suddenly shoves open the door that Tony's leaning against, pushing forward until Tony is half upside down. He's about to question what the fuck is going on, but then Loki is puking over his shoulder. Nothing gets on him, but it's pretty damn close.

"Oh gods…" Loki groans after puking twice more. "My body hates me."

"Yeah, wow," Tony says, slowly helping himself and Loki back into sitting positions. "What's say we head inside, yeah?"

"Yeah…yeah, that's a really good idea."

It takes a little bit, but they end up standing, Loki's arm around Tony's shoulder. Tony locks his car and shoves his keys back into his pocket as they walk up to the front door of the house. And for a lot of reasons, Tony isn't one bit surprised when both Thor and Natasha open the door before they even get to it.

"Thor's got Lo'," Natasha says as said blonde takes said boyfriend. "_You_, though, have some driving to do—and some acting. Come." She grabs his hand and spins him around, pulling him towards his car.

"So…what's this about?" Tony asks as she directions him down roads.

"We're going to Clint's," she says. "We'll explain more when we're there."

Natasha's not-boyfriend opens the front door right as they get there, and Tony can admit that Clint looks like a stoner sometimes, but this is _bad_.

"Hurry up, we have fifteen minutes before my mom decides I'm bullshitting her," he says, yanking them into the door.

"I have no idea what's going on," Tony says, following them in a rush.

"We have lives to ruin." Natasha says, closing another door behind them to what is obviously Clint's bedroom. Tony's eyes widen at it, taking in all of the birds in the room. They are all _over_ the place. Paintings and posters and statues and he even has two blue parakeets in a cage in the corner of the room. "Five lives, to be exact, in four houses."

Tony knows exactly whose lives she's talking about. "Five people with four houses?"

"Ivan's been living with Justin for years now. His parents are either in a mental facility, a prison, or dead. We're not sure which." She picks up a pile of clothes and shoves them into Tony's hands. "Change into those. Just do it right here. Nobody cares."

"Do I have to look like bird brain over here?" he asks, stripping to change without question. He doesn't really feel like question Natasha anymore.

"Yeah, but a different style," Clint says, handing Natasha a different pile. "And 'Tasha will look like my sexy slut."

Ten minutes later, all of them are ready to head out—and looking like total douchebags, which will be even better in Tony's car. They've all got sunglasses on so that nobody will recognize them as well. Natasha and Clint jumped back and forth in their explanation about _why_ they were changing clothes, but the gist of it is that Tony has to act like any of the five druggies do all the time. They're stopping by Amora's first, since she's the "ring leader", followed by Skurge, Viktor, and then Ivan and Justin.

"Ready?" Natasha says, stuffing a mini bottle of whiskey into her bra.

"Can I have that when we're done?" Clint asks, adjusting the beanie he's wearing so that it forces his bangs to stick out in front of his eyes. Tony didn't eve know he had bangs, but his hair is always spiked up a bit, so it's actually longer than it looks.

"No, it's Phil's."

Tony frowns as he lights the cigarette he's supposed to have, wishing he didn't have to, considering that he bitched at Loki for having one. "Phil Coulson? One of the counselors?"

"And the cross country coach, and one of the track and field coaches," Clint says. "They're close."

Natasha rolls her eyes. "Not that close."

Clint grins. "Yeah, sure," he says as he attempts to snatch the whiskey from Natasha's bra. She just smacks his hand, though.

"Kay, we're here," Natasha says. "Tony, you've never done this before—and don't ask if we have, because we'll just tell you our favorite colors—so we've got some rules. We're here to ruin _Amora's_ life, not her parents'. Actually, it's only her mom right now. Her dad would probably beat us up. We did research. Anyway, don't _break_ anything. On the other hand, hitting on her mother is a _brilliant_ idea. Just act like Clint wishes he could act."

"_Or_," Clint says, "act like Justin. He's more your height." He winks before swinging out, Natasha at the same time.

Tony sighs, wondering when exactly his life became dressing up as a stoner/crack dealer. _Oh yeah_, he thinks. _Twenty minutes ago._

He swings out, locking the car before swinging his bottle of vodka (AKA not really vodka) haphazardly and forcing himself to take a drag of his cigarette.

Natasha bangs against the door. "Heyyy Amooorra!"

"Open up, baby!" Clint calls as well.

The door is opened by a women who is obviously Amora's mom, and Amora is a little ways back.

"Dayum, 'Ora," Clint says, giving the mom a once-over. "Now I know where you got your looks."

"'Ora…?" her mom says, eyes landing individually on Tony's cigarette, his bottle of "vodka", and Natasha's cleavage before turning around to her. "I thought you stopped."

"Stopped?" Tony scoffs before Amora can answer. "Lady, you should have seen our party last night! My boyfriend couldn't even remember my _name_!"

The mom's eyes widen a bit. "'Ora, you said Justin moved away!"

"He ain't Jus'," Clint says, walking into the house and ignoring the look Amora's mom gives him. "Jus' is hung-over at his place." He turns to Natasha. "Hey, love, gimme the whiskey we promised our friend here."

"Come and get it," she says, shoving her chest out at him.

Clint smirks, and as he begins to slip it out, Tony smiles up at Amora. "Hey, you still up for that three-way? I got a tape of just my boyfriend an' I if you want."

And that does it. Amora flips shit with excuses and things at the same time that her mom flips shit about all _sorts_ of things. Things about her father and trust and about how the hospital was supposed to _help_ her. And Amora actually breaks down into tears. That's when her mom decides to kick Tony, Clint, and Natasha out, telling them to never come back.

The three of them burst into laughter as soon as they're in the car. "Did you see the look on Amora's face when the door opened?" Tony asks.

"It wasn't near as good as when you brought up that three-way!" Natasha says, grabbing his cigarette so he can drive easier.

"Did you hear what her mom was going on about with trust and shit?" Clint says. "It sounded like she's been doing drugs since she was _eight_."

The next three houses all go _generally_ the same that Amora's did, but in completely different ways. Skurge was apparently born thanks to his mother getting knocked up, and his step-dad is about half his size. Anyway, his mom was into a whole bunch of drugs, but after she became pregnant she got all motherly. Came clean and did her best to keep Skurge the same—but after Tony, Clint, and Natasha showed up she learned the truth, which did not go well at all.

Viktor's parents were probably the easiest to piss off. Apparently he puts up a pretty good front at home, but not after Tony used his three-way comment again with the fact that it'd be with him and his boyfriend. Turns out his dad's a raging homophobic. They got out pretty fast after that so Tony didn't get hit.

And Ivan and Justin? Well, that took some work. Seeing that Justin's actually adopted and has two moms that actually had some other lady over _for_ a three-way, Tony's secret weapon was useless. He couldn't do anything with his "vodka", either, because it had only been like a fourth of the bottle and he had already drunk it all, so he just left it in the car. Thankfully Clint came in handy after pulling the whiskey out of Natasha's bra with his teeth. It was just dumb luck that mom number two (AKA the shorter one, or "mommy", according to Justin) is against drinking since…well, something about her dad.

"That was insane," Tony mutters as they're walking into Loki and Thor's place, still in their costumes. "You seriously do shit like that often?"

Natasha taps her chin in thought. "Clint's favorite color us purple, and mine are red and black."

Tony snorts. "Fuck you both, I'm going to check on my boyfriend." He heads up the stairs, surprised to see that the door is open. Loki always locks doors. Tony breathes a laugh when he sees him lying in the bed, pulling a stuffed bear out of his grasp. And after another look…well, he just climbs right in beside him, because why not?

**XxX**

_Saturday, October 13…_

Tony wakes up mostly because he can't breathe, but when he realizes that the reason he can't is because Loki is kissing him…well, that's okay.

"Mmm, Loki, you just threw up," he says, pulling away to trail his lips down Loki's neck so he can catch his breath.

"I've brushed my teeth twice," Loki says, pulling Tony's mouth right back to his.

"Well I haven't," Tony manages against Loki's mouth.

"I know. Stop talking."

Loki kisses him hard, sucking in on his tongue and nipping at his lips and grinding down against him and his hands are all _over_ wherever they can reach on Tony's frame.

"You don't even want to know why I'm dressed like a crack dealer?" he manages a few minutes later.

"Natasha already told me," he says, sucking at a spot on Tony's neck. Tony moans, tangling his hands into black hair. "She and Clint are in Thor's room now, doing…probably what we're doing." He lathers a spot with his tongue before sucking again. "Thor's watching something with Martin Freeman in it." A third spot, further down.

"But…but…" he croaks out, both hands untangling from Loki's hair and sliding down to his ass. "Natasha told me that she and Clint aren't dating."

"That doesn't mean they're not going to fuck on occasion."

"Okay, but…Thor is just watching a movie? He's not bursting in here to growl at me?"

Loki snorts, leaning up and pushing fingers from one hand through his hair. "He knows that we've had sex already, and he likes you a lot now, so he's not going to get mad at me for sleeping with someone that's going to watch over me when he's not around."

Tony chuckles. "That's true."

In the end, Tony and Loki end up in the came position that they were in when they used the Jacuzzi, except their positions are switched like they suggested.

"_You_," Tony says, kissing anywhere on Loki's face that he can reach as they catch their breath, Loki still inside of him, "are the most beautiful thing I have ever been with."

Loki breathes a laugh, reaching up to hold his head between his hands so he can't kiss him anymore. "Thank you," he whispers.

"What for, exactly?"

"For saving me." He kisses him softly, and when he pulls away he continues: "I was stuck in that tower for so long that I didn't know what it was like to want somebody to never leave me alone."

Tony's gives a warm smile. "You're welcome, then. Now all that's left is for you to save me."

"Oh? What from?"

Tony grins. "Whatever you want."

Loki smiles, falling back and rolling over so that he can pull out of Tony with a _soft_ pop before pulling him into his arms. "Do you want to sleep some more?" he asks. "I already heard that you didn't get very much of it in the car."

Tony smiles. "Yes."

Loki pulls the blankets tight over him, both of them not caring that there's old spunk between their stomachs.

"Will you sleep too?" Tony asks.

"Probably not," Loki says, kissing his temple. "I got lots of it last night."

"Mmm, okay. Wait, wait, no, I have a question."

"Yes?"

"How many times have Natasha and Clint gone out to ruin lives?"

Loki taps his chin in thought. "Clint's favorite color is purple, and Natasha's favorites are red and black."

Tony just rolls his eyes and goes to sleep, ignoring the laughter that comes from behind Loki's door.


	6. Party in the Underground

[Chapter summary: In which Thor does not know his artists, Natasha should not be allowed to drink, and Tony and Loki are being fixed.]

**6: Party in the Underground**

"_You got to me  
You saw through me  
You're in for it now...  
You're all I wanna do  
I only wanna dance with you!"  
—I Only Wanna Dance with You by Ke$ha-_

_Saturday, October 13…_

The next time he wakes up, keeping his eyes shut tight, it's because of three very soft voices around him. Also it's due to the fact that somebody is playing with his hair.

"No way, straight sex is way better," Natasha whispers. She sounds like she's sitting in the chair by Loki's bed.

"Yeah?" Loki whispers back, the one playing with his hair. "Give me some good reasons _why_."

"No stretching beforehand," she says.

"And no debating who's turn it is to pitch," Clint whispers. He sounds like he's coming from…the ceiling? Tony cracks an eye to see that he's right about Natasha, but Clint is just perched up on top of Loki's tall dresser. He's definitely a bird.

Loki snorts lightly. "Right. Excuse me while _neither_ of us can get pregnant, we don't have to worry about periods, there's no need for condoms the next time we're tested for STD's, _and_ we can have sleepovers without our parents getting suspicious. Also, we only debated who was going to 'pitch' the first time, but now we just…take turns, in a sense. Whatever we want at the time." He chuckles. "I'll avoid the details for Clint's sake.

Clint snorts right back. "Loki, you've been my best friend since eighth grade. You're nothing _but_ details."

"Oh? Well maybe if I explain how—"

"Actually," Tony says, opening his eyes all the way and stretching out his legs under the blankets. "I myself would not like it if Clint heard _any_ of that."

Loki smiles down at him, bending to kiss him on the forehead. "Well, good evening. You're just in time for snacks."

Tony can see how his eyes light up in the reflection of Loki's. "Yeah? What snacks?"

He shrugs. "The usual snack food. Chips and candies and things. I think Steve is making pudding right now."

Tony blinks up at him. "Steve is here?"

"Bruce and Pepper, too," Clint says, "and a bunch of others will be showing up sooner or later. Anybody else who went to the roller rink with us, really. 'Tasha and I invited them over for our _own_ party.

Tony stretches his back out. "What for?"

Loki smiles. "Not reason in particular. It's just fun not having parents home sometimes. Anyway." He looks up at Clint and Natasha. "We need to get dressed."

They nod, and after Clint jumps down he squats, not standing until Natasha has crawled onto his back before walking out.

"I'd ask if that was normal," Tony says, referring to the piggyback ride, "but I'm sure it is."

He and Loki eventually make it out to the kitchen, all dressed again (Tony's clothes are out in his car, so Loki just gives him a t-shirt and a pair of basketball shorts to go with his Converse.) Steve is indeed cooking, and Bruce and Pepper are scurrying around to put a whole bunch of things in a pile on the floor.

Tony cocks an eyebrow. "Is that a beer keg?" he asks.

"Yup," Bruce says as he puts out a bag of plastic cups. "Darcy, Si, and Si's boys brought it. They're setting up folding tables in the basement for all this stuff."

Tony frowns, looking over at Loki. "You guys have a basement?"

He nods. "It's in a very obscure place, but we don't have very many things in there, so it's perfect for cramming twenty people in."

"Do we have to go outside to get to it?"

"Actually you have to get to it through the kitchen pantry."

Tony wrinkles his nose up. "What?"

Loki nods, leading him over to the glass door that is said pantry, and across from it he pulls open another door that Tony wouldn't have seen because of the rack hanging over it.

"Heyyy!" Darcy says, walking out passed them. "The tables are set up!" Si, Fandral, Volstagg, and Hogun follow her out, and then those five and Bruce start to carry everything downstairs.

"Loki!" a voice calls, and Tony and Loki turn to see Thor walking towards them with a confused look as he's looking down at an iPod.

"Hey!" Loki says, snatching it away. "That's mine!"

"I am aware," he says. "I was going to plug it in so that we could have music while in the basement."

"Oh." Loki hands it back to him. "That is acceptable. What do you want?"

"I am wondering who this singer is." He turns the iPod to him. "This Key Dollar-Sign Ha."

Tony and Loki both burst into a snort.

"You don't know who Kesha is?" Tony asks. "Wait." He looks at Loki. "You have Kesha on your iPod?"

Loki shrugs. "She's my guilty pleasure."

Tony rolls his eyes. "Just go plug it in, Thor. You'll hear her later."

"Come on," Loki says, taking Loki's hand to drag him downstairs. "I want a drink."

Tony's okay with drinking. In fact, he is _fine_ with drinking. It's really just anything involving needles, snorting, and smoke that is not on his list of things to approve of.

"I _really_ want to see you drunk," he says, pulling Loki closer to him as everyone is bustling around them to set things up by the walls so there's also room to dance in the middle. It doesn't matter how close they are because anyone coming already knows about it."

Loki laughs. "I have a feeling _you're_ not much different."

"Steve told me that I'm really annoying. He's always the designated driver because he doesn't drink—not that we've had many parties that we've had to use him, but still."

"And what are Bruce and Pepper like?"

"Um, Bruce actually gets really pissy, and Pepper doesn't ever drink enough _to_ get drunk—just enough that it's not safe to drive. I mean that with Bruce, though… He tries not to drink so much that he gets really bad, because the slightest thing can tick him off and he'll rope somebody into a fight."

Loki raises both eyebrows and nods. "Good to know."

"What about your friends?"

Loki chuckles. "Thor gets twice as happy and acts like he doesn't have a care in the world, Clint gets really sexual, and N gets…ah…loud and sort of crazy. She's very different drunk. Jane and Peggy don't drink enough to get drunk unless they're sad about something, Darcy is the crazy stripper drunk, and Si starts acting like Xena."

Tony snorts. "What?"

"I'm not kidding! She calls her boys 'The Warriors Three' and they even get into it to call her 'Lady Sif' and it's hilarious. They grab things to have swordfights and miraculously never break anything."

Tony chuckles. "This is going to be in_sane_. Oh, hey, is Rhodey coming to this? He ditched out too early on the roller skating night."

"Yeah, he'll probably be here. We'll have to wait and see."

In the end, Loki's house is holding a total of nineteen people: the seventeen that went roller skating, Rhodey, and that Betty chick that Bruce was talking to when Tony told him to get a different ride. There's still an odd number, which means that Si, Volstagg, and Hogun are still the three-person "couple". Bruce and Betty are now hanging out, and Pepper and Rhodey have taken to making sure that nothing gets too out of hand that they all stumble outside and down the sidewalk.

"I wonder if Bruce is going to get some tonight," Tony muses from where he and Loki are on the couch. Somebody closed all the window shades so nobody would be able to see inside the house so they could all walk around in more than just the basement. Loki is sitting behind him, his legs spread to wrap around him. "It's probably less likely than Steve and Peggy, to be honest."

Loki giggles, his third cup lying empty on the floor. "I think Bucky and Sharon are having sex in my parents' room."

Tony laughs, dropping his head back to kiss him. He's glad that he's only had one cupful of beer so he could remember Loki's drunk type, so far he's the ditzy, cute type. He's also just referred to Odin and Frigga as his parents, which he hasn't done all week. "Wanna dance?"

Loki nods and crawls over the back of the couch, giggling again as Tony pushes him up against the wall instead of walking downstairs. Loki jumps up to wrap his legs around his waist, Tony's hands going down to hold him up by his ass.

"You're so pretty," Loki says, kissing his neck.

He and Tony do eventually get downstairs, where Clint, N, Steve, Peggy, Darcy, Fandral, Volstagg, and Hogun are. The first Volstagg and Hogun are having some sort of duel to cause it, Clint is all up behind N even though she's not paying _any_ attention to him, Darcy and Fandral are doing some hardcore grinding, and Peggy is telling Steve a story that involves very elaborate hand motions. Tony's not sure the title of the song playing, but he does know that it's Ke$ha.

"I looove this song!" Loki says, spinning over to the middle of the floor.

"What's it called?" Tony asks as he goes up behind him.

"Blow."

Tony grins. He could certainly think of a few things to blow right now. That can come later, though (ha-ha Tony is hilarious). For now, though, he'll just dance.

**XxX**

_Sunday, October 14…_

Tony and Loki eventually got up to his bedroom (miraculously without anyone else already in it) at about three in the morning, and then somewhere around one in the afternoon is when Loki wakes Tony up with a groan.

"Ouch," he says, sitting up very slowly and massaging his temples. "Six cups was a very bad idea."

Tony laughs quietly so he doesn't make it worse. "You did fine in bed, though."

Loki gives him a small smirk. "Too bad I don't remember any of it."

"That's fine, I remember it well enough for the both of us."

"Mmm, good. What time is it?"

"One."

Loki gasps. "Tony! Odin and Frigga are going to be back in an hour!"

Tony leaps out of bed to get his clothes on. "I'll get together who I can to help clean up. Drink lots of water."

Loki nods and Tony disappears out of the door, all but sprinting into the living room to—

"Holy shit," he says, looking around. It's…it's spotless. It's completely cleaned up.

"You're welcome," a voice says, and Tony turns to see Pepper, Steve, Peggy, and Rhodey sitting around.

"Did you guys do all of this?" Tony asks.

"Yup," Pepper says. "The phone rang about two hours ago, so I pretended to be Jane when I answered it since she's over here pretty often. It was Mrs. Odinson just checking up on them and letting them know that they're going to be back at about two."

"You guys," Tony says, sinking onto the floor to breathe, "are lifesavers."

"We know," Steve says.

"You're going to have to help us get everybody else out, though," Rhodey says. "There are people sleeping in all parts of the house."

Tony sighs. "Let's get to work, then."

Everybody is out and the house looks perfect at one-fifty, and now the only ones left in the house are Tony, Loki, Thor, and Jane.

"That was a close one," Jane says, rubbing a hand over her forehead. "It's a good thing Pepper and the other three were already up. We never would have finished cleaning in time."

"Tell me about it," Tony says.

Loki is sitting beside him, but he suddenly leaps into a standing position. "I can't do this yet," he says frantically. "I don't want to see them yet."

Tony and Thor speak at the same time:

"Brother, you must!"

"Come to my place, then."

Loki glares at Thor before smiling at Tony. "I'll go pack."

Tony goes with him, because there is no way he's going to sit with an angry Thor.

Jane comes in as Loki is throwing things together for a couple of nights, a somewhat angry but still sad look on her face.

"What?" Loki snaps without looking back at her.

She sighs. "Nothing."

Loki looks back at her now. "I can't do it, Jane. it's just not the same anymore. Give it another week."

She nods before disappearing off.

Tony frowns. "Wait, a week for what?"

Loki sighs, zipping up his duffle bag. "Before I stop using the first names of my legal parents."

Tony nods. "Ah."

Loki has the decency to say goodbye to Thor and Jane, plus giving them a message for his parents when they get back.

"I feel like playing a Zelda game," Loki says as Tony pulls into his spot in the garage.

"I have four of them," Tony says as they swing out of the car.

"A Link to the Past?"

"Yeah, if you want to play it on my computer."

"That sounds fi—"

"_There_ you are!" a voice booms, and Tony's first reaction is to cringe.

"I'll meet you in my room," he says, pushing Loki away towards his basement door.

Loki nods and goes off right away, disappearing just as fast as Tony needed him to. He turns around to Howard with a glare. "What?" he asks, arms crossed. "Couldn't find anyone to wipe your mouth after your usual shit came out?"

Howard gives a glare to rival Tony's. "Where the hell were you last night?"

"Oh, you care?"

"No, but my guests did. You were _told_ to be here and _meet_ them all!"

Tony gives a confused frown. "You never told me about a party."

"Your _mother_ did."

"What? No she didn't."

"Yes she di—"

"No I didn't, Howard."

Tony and Howard turn to see Maria coming towards them with her usual cigarette, a guilty look on her face that manages to still look strong and defiant.

Howard gives a small glare. "What do you mean you _didn't_?"

"I mean I _forgot to_."

That really sets Howard off, and Tony is certainly not going to stand around for it. He slams himself into the basement, taking a deep breath before making his way down the stairs.

Loki instantly stands up from the couch, a sad and sympathetic look on his face. "What happened?"

Tony flits a wrist, his usual front of lies having come up automatically. "Eh, just some other party I was supposed to be at."

Loki pulls him down to sit on the couch. "Are you okay?"

Tony cocks an eyebrow. "Do I look not okay?"

Loki actually chuckles. "I am a much better liar than you are, Tony. At least open up Zelda if you're going to keep it to yourself."

Tony gives a warm smile, swinging up the keyboard for his computer screen. "I know my parents are actually my parents, but they sure do suck a hell of a lot of the time."

Loki kisses his forehead. "We'll be broken together, yeah?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I wish this game came with a two-player option. Video games are—"

"Your favorite sport?"

Tony wrinkles his nose up. "Video games aren't a sport!"

Loki smirks. "And neither is chess. Scoot over."

**XxX**

_Monday, October 15…_

Tony has cried in his sleep before, but he's never woken up in the middle of the night while still crying. "Fuck," he whispers, wiping at his eyes. The tears don't stop, though, so he quick crawls out of bed so he doesn't wake up Loki. That also doesn't go well, though, because he moves too fast and shakes the bed.

"Tony?" Loki says groggily.

Tony all but runs out of his room without saying anything, forcing himself to stay quiet as he balls up in the far corner of the couch. Maybe Loki will just think he's going to the bathroom and go back to sleep.

No luck, though: "Tony?"

Tony sniffs in deeply.

"Oh." Loki doesn't know the room as well as Tony does, so it takes him a little longer to get over to the couch in the pitch black. He sits down beside Tony and pulls him tight into his arms, planting a soft kiss on the top of his head.

It's probably supposed to help, but Tony just bursts into more tears instead. He holds so tightly to Loki that it's probably hurting him, but Loki hold shim back just as tight, whispering sweet nothings and… Is he singing? Is that a lullaby?

Tony wipes his years as they finally stop, just listening to the words:

_"Que sera, sera  
Whatever will be, will be  
The future's not ours to see  
Que sera, sera."  
_  
"That's funny," Tony says quietly. "You could sing in the tower, too."

Loki breathes a laugh. "At least I know what I can save you from now."

Tony's breath catches in his throat, and he hugs Loki hard. "We should go back to sleep," he says quietly. "We have school in the morning."

"Yeah, alright."

Once they're settled back in bed, Loki asks Tony a question: "Do you think I should stop calling them by their first names?"

Tony knows exactly what he's talking about. "I think you should start over with them, you know? Maybe it will be different now that you know why you don't look like anybody related to you. Maybe it will hurt at first, but I would die if you turned into me, Lo'… It's one thing to mutter at your parents, but it's another to have a fridge in your room because they don't even want to see you around your own house."

Loki sighs. "You're right," he whispers. "I should go back tomorrow."

"Are you sure you'll be ready by then?"

"I'll never be ready, and that's why I need to get it over with."

"You'll do fine, Lo'."

Loki breathes a laugh. "We're the broken being fixed, Tony. We'll always do fine."

And Tony sleeps perfect this time, tight in Loki's arms.

_**-The End-**_

* * *

References: Loki's lullaby just a few lines ago? Que Sera, Sera by Pink Martini :)

PS thanks for reading hope you enjoyed! Reviews are welcome, not reviewing is also welcome :P Hearts all around!


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